The Kenyan authorities paid a network of trolls to threaten and intimidate young protesters during recent anti-government demonstrations, Amnesty International has said.
A new report by the human rights organisation said government agencies also employed surveillance and disinformation to target organisers of the mass protests, which swept Kenya across 2024 and 2025.
The demonstrations were driven largely by 'Gen Z' activists who used social media platforms to mobilise.
In response to Amnesty's report, Kenya's interior minister said the government 'does not sanction harassment or violence against any citizen'.
But Amnesty said it had uncovered a campaign to 'silence and suppress' the protesters.
Young women and LGBT+ activists were disproportionately targeted, with misogynistic and homophobic comment, as well as AI-generated pornographic images, the report said.
The BBC has approached the government for further comment.
One activist told Amnesty: 'I had people coming into my inbox and telling me: You will die and leave your kids. We will come and attack you.'
Another mentioned having to change their child’s school due to threats with specific details provided by the offenders.
The report also features a man who said he was paid between 25,000 and 50,000 Kenyan shillings to amplify government messaging and suppress protest hashtags on social media platforms.
Reports indicate that over 100 individuals lost their lives during protests, with accusations of police brutality and arbitrary arrests. The government acknowledged instances of excessive force while defending its actions in other cases.
Amnesty chief Agnès Callamard emphasized the systematic tactics employed to undermine protest movements driven by young activists and the government’s involvement in these campaigns.
