Mombasa Activists Urge EAC Parliament to Address Citizens’ Concerns
Human rights activists in Mombasa have called on the East African Community (EAC) Legislative Assembly to urgently deliberate on issues affecting citizens across the region, particularly state violence linked to political processes.
Speaking to the media in Mombasa on Tuesday, activist Hussein Khalid said data compiled from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania indicates that more than 10,000 citizens have lost their lives during demonstrations, election-related violence and political campaigns in recent years.
Khalid cited recent incidents surrounding Tanzania’s general elections and Uganda’s campaign period, arguing that the deaths reflect a worrying pattern of excessive use of force by state agencies across the region.
“The East African Community cannot continue operating as a purely economic bloc while citizens are being killed for exercising their democratic rights,” Khalid said. “We are demanding that the EAC Parliament places human rights, police accountability and protection of civilians at the centre of its agenda.”
The activists accused regional governments of shrinking civic space, suppressing dissent and using security forces to intimidate opposition voices, journalists and civil society actors. They said such actions undermine democracy and contradict the EAC’s founding principles of good governance, rule of law and respect for human rights.
According to the activist Bradili Ouna, regional institutions have remained largely silent despite repeated reports of deaths, injuries and enforced disappearances during protests and election periods.
“ We will not allow deaths to keep carrying on in our regions just because we are in different geographical area, Uganda is now preparing fro the general Election early next year, and we will not allow this kind recklessness that we witnessed in Tanzania in their election to repeat itself”
They are now urging EAC lawmakers to convene special sessions to investigate alleged human rights violations, push for reforms within member states and establish mechanisms to hold governments accountable.
The group further called for stronger protections for demonstrators and journalists, warning that continued inaction could erode public trust in regional integration efforts.
The East African Community brings together Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia, with the EAC Legislative Assembly mandated to oversee regional cooperation and promote democratic values among member states.
Comments