The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has strongly criticised recent remarks attributed to Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, in which she is reported to have urged regional leaders, including President William Ruto, to take firm action against critics and youth-led dissent.
The comments, which have drawn attention across East Africa, included reference to the Swahili term “mikwaju,” which KHRC says has been associated with harsh state responses to dissent.
The rights body argues that the term reflects a broader pattern of repression that should not be normalised in the region.
KHRC linked the remarks to Tanzania’s 2025 electoral period, alleging that the phrase “mikwaju” was used in the context of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and torture.
The commission said such actions affected thousands of people, though it did not provide independently verified data to support the figures.
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Referring to the use of ‘mikwaju’, Suluhu Samia advised President William Ruto to crack down on critics,” KHRC stated.
“Leading up to, during and after the elections in Tanzania, ‘mikwaju’ came as arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and brutal torture of thousands of people.”
The commission warned that any suggestion that such methods could be adopted in Kenya poses a serious threat to constitutional freedoms.
It said the region must not tolerate language that appears to justify violence against civilians, particularly young people involved in civic activism.
“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,” KHRC added.
The rights group further cautioned against the increasing criminalisation of Gen Z-led protests, arguing that youth participation in civic action must be protected under democratic principles.
It called for leaders to uphold restraint and respect constitutional rights, including freedom of expression and assembly.
KHRC has now demanded that both President Suluhu and President Ruto issue a public apology, retract the remarks, and give assurances that they will not repeat statements it says could encourage violence against civilians.
“We will not allow a repeat of Tanzania’s 2025 situation on Kenyan soil. Not by decree, not by force,” the commission said.
The statement has added to ongoing regional debate over how governments respond to youth-led protests, with rights groups urging adherence to lawful and non-violent approaches in managing dissent.