Kenya Elected to UN Human Rights Council Amid Opposition from Rights Groups

Kenya is one of 18 nations elected by the UN General Assembly to serve on the Human Rights Council. These countries will begin their three-year terms on January 1, 2025, according to a UN statement.

From Africa, Kenya was elected alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Gambia, and Benin. Other elected member states include Bolivia, Colombia, Cyprus, Czechia, Iceland, Marshall Islands, Mexico, North Macedonia, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and Thailand.

Kenya had submitted its candidacy for the 2025-2027 term on September 27, 2024, pledging to “promote and safeguard human rights for all.” However, human rights organizations expressed strong opposition to Kenya’s candidacy prior to the vote in New York on Wednesday, citing serious concerns over alleged government-led human rights violations.

Led by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), these groups accused the government of breaching international human rights laws, citing incidents such as unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, and defiance of court orders. Despite government denials of involvement in such violations, the rights groups emphasized that many of these issues remain unresolved, with perpetrators not held accountable.

In a letter addressed to the President of the UN Human Rights Council, the rights organizations, including KHRC, the Center for Memory and Development, and Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI), among others, urged the UN to reject Kenya’s bid. They argued that granting Kenya a seat would compromise the credibility of the Council, especially given the government’s continued use of state security agencies to carry out actions that could be classified as crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute.