Inside State's covert war on dissenting voices

In a chilling revelation, a senior police officer based in Kisumu has laid bare the covert tactics employed by Kenyan authorities to silence journalists and activists.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the officer described a system of harassment and rights violations orchestrated by high-level directives, involving invasive surveillance, targeted abductions, and calculated acts of intimidation.

“We receive orders from our superiors and have access to Kenyans’ personal data via phones and emails, using devices that help us locate individuals targeted for arrest. To protect our identities, we wear masks, drive unregistered vehicles, and use unmarked bullets or remove them from victims so they can’t be traced as evidence,” the officer told The Standard. He added: “In some cases, we pose as journalists, carrying cameras to blend into their workspace, making it easier to make arrests without raising suspicion.”

He further explained, “We confiscate cameras, laptops, and phones to track journalists’ work and communications, determining who they’re in contact with and investigating any suspicious financial transactions. We also interfere with their internet access. Afterward, we prosecute them under the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act.”

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Another security officer in Nairobi, who also requested anonymity, revealed that the government has set up a specialised squad to silence dissenting voices.

“This unit comprises highly trained officers spread across Kenya. They operate undercover, using unmarked vehicles and posing as hawkers, food vendors, bar patrons, or motorcycle riders. This allows them to gather intelligence without being detected,” he explained. Once they gather enough information on their targets, they proceed to arrest.

“After an arrest, we blindfold the individual and take them to remote, deserted locations. We subject them to torture to extract information about their work, deny them food and water, and eventually abandon them. Torture serves as a warning; if they don’t stop, death is an option,” the officer said.