KHRC claims its legal advisor Martin Mavenjina has been deported
By Faith Lagat, July 6, 2025The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has strongly condemned the deportation of its senior legal advisor, Martin Mavenjina, describing the move as part of an escalating crackdown on human rights defenders under President William Ruto’s administration.
In a press statement released on July 6, 2025, KHRC claimed that Mavenjina was deported to Uganda shortly after arriving in Kenya on the night of July 5, 2025, following an official visit. The organisation described the deportation as a targeted act meant to weaken civil society, noting that attacks against human rights defenders have intensified since June 25.
“The government has deported @MartinMavenjina, KHRC’s senior legal advisor on transitional justice. Since June 25, the regime has been deliberately targeting human rights defenders, and Mavenjina’s deportation is part of their strategy,” wrote the organisation on their X account.
“Mavenjina, has been deported to Uganda. He had arrived in Kenya at 10 pm on Saturday following an official visit to South Africa. Mavenjina holds a work permit. Since June 25, the William Ruto regime has been deliberately targeting human rights defenders, and Mavenjina’s deportation is part of their strategy. We are working to bring him back to Kenya,”
Mavenjina, a respected transitional justice expert, serves as senior program advisor at KHRC. His past work includes leading initiatives such as the #MachoziYaJana dialogues in Nairobi’s informal settlements and convening civil society groups on electoral governance.
KHRC emphasised his critical role in safeguarding human rights and vowed to work tirelessly to facilitate his return.
The deportation comes amid growing concerns over human rights violations in Kenya. On the same day, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) reported 60 deaths and 72 enforced disappearances linked to protests since June 2025, with state security agencies reportedly involved.
The KHRC’s statement follows mounting concerns from watchdog groups such as the Defenders Coalition, which has also reported rising intimidation of activists, including vocal figures like Mutemi Kiama. These developments evoke memories of previous state clampdowns, such as the 2007–2008 post-election crisis that left over 1,100 people dead and 600,000 displaced.
The deportation of Mavenjina, set against this backdrop of escalating suppression, has triggered renewed calls for accountability and reform. As the KHRC pursues legal and diplomatic channels to bring him back, Kenya’s human rights reputation continues to face intense national and global scrutiny.