The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has strongly criticised Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan over remarks it says encourage violent crackdowns on dissent and has also accused Kenyan President William Ruto of appearing to support the comments.

In a press statement issued on May 6, 2026, KHRC said Suluhu’s reference to the Kiswahili term“nitawapiga mikwaju” during a public event amounted to an endorsement of repression against critics, activists, and Gen Z protesters across East Africa.

The rights group said the phrase, which it translates as a call to “crack down” on opponents, carries dangerous meaning in the region’s political context.

“Leading up to, during and after the sham elections in Tanzania in 2025, ‘mikwaju’ came as arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and brutal torture of thousands of people,” KHRC said.

The organisation warned that such language should not be normalised in Kenya or the wider region.

“Now, Kenyans are being told that the same tactics that led to mass murder in Tanzania are acceptable and should be adopted here. They are not,” the statement added.

KHRC said it would not accept what it described as attempts to promote transnational repression. It also called for both Suluhu and Ruto to publicly withdraw their remarks and issue apologies.

“We will not allow a repeat of Tanzania’s 2025 massacre on Kenyan soil. Not by decree, not by force,” KHRC said.

The group also claimed that during and after Tanzania’s 2025 elections, state violence escalated, including killings, arrests and disappearances of activists, journalists and opposition figures.

It cited cases involving detained opposition leader Tundu Lissu and activists Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire, saying their treatment reflected shrinking civic space in the region.

KHRC deputy director Cornelius Oduor said the remarks signalled a worrying trend.

“The stage is being set for more state violence ahead of the June 25 anniversary and the 2027 election,” he said.

“We remain steadfast in the fight for our people across East Africa. We shall not be silenced.”

Call for regional accountability

The rights body also accused authorities in both Kenya and Tanzania of targeting Gen Z protesters who have been critical of government policies. It said recent protests in Kenya had already resulted in deaths, arrests and disappearances.

“We remember the 2023 protests where at least 100 people were killed. In 2024, hundreds more died during demonstrations against the Finance Bill,” the statement said.

KHRC warned that continued use of force against protesters risks deepening political tensions in the region.

It also rejected what it called attempts to label young protesters as violent or destabilising.

“Young people do not need anyone’s permission to claim their rights. These rights are protected by constitutions and international law,” KHRC said.

The organisation said it would continue working with civil society groups across East Africa to defend democratic space.

“Citizens are not powerless in the face of this threat. We must continue to use our rights and protect our freedoms,” it added.

KHRC further demanded accountability under regional frameworks such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, saying leaders who promote violence should be held responsible.

The statement ended with a call for resistance to repression across the region.

“To the people of East Africa, stand strong, stay united, and never stop the work of defending democracy. Aluta Continua.”