Monday 7,July ,2025 {HMC} An armed gang attacked the headquarters of the Kenyan Human Rights Commission on Sunday as it hosted a press conference calling for an end to state violence, an AFP journalist saw.

The attack came on the eve of “Saba Saba Day” when Kenyans mark pro-democracy protests from the 1990s, and renewed unrest is expected on Monday.

The east African country is once again facing a wave of violent protests over economic stagnation, corruption and repeated acts of police brutality under President William Ruto.

The Kenyan Human Rights Commission was hosting a press conference calling for “an immediate end to arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings” when it was attacked by 20 men, some armed with sticks.

“The gate was locked but they forced themselves in. They were attacking and robbing guys, saying: ‘You are planning protests here’,” said an AFP journalist at the scene.

“Armed goons have attacked offices of the Kenya Human Rights Commission,” the Women’s Collective, which helped organise the meeting, posted on X.

At least 19 people were killed and thousands of businesses looted and destroyed in a day of nationwide protests on June 25.

The government has been accused of deploying “goons” against protesters and political opponents.

Hundreds of men on motorbikes armed with whips and clubs attacked a protest against police brutality in Nairobi on June 17. AFP journalists at the scene said they were operating with the protection of police.

‘Kenya feels fragile’
Urbanisation, improved education and the spread of social media have fuelled anger over the stagnant economy and poor governance in a country where around 80 percent are trapped in informal, poorly paid jobs.

“Kenya feels much more fragile than it would have four or even three years ago,” said Declan Galvin, Kenya-based analyst with Exigent Risk Advisory.

“We have a much larger, urban, mainly youth population, who do not rely on ethnicity and tribalism” as they did in the past, he told AFP.

Politically, Ruto still holds a strong position, having forged an alliance with the main opposition leader Raila Odinga, leaving no clear challenger ahead of the next vote in 2027.

But each violent crackdown is fuelling further unrest, said activist Nerima Wako.

“Every time people organise a protest, they kill more people, so it just continues to feed off itself,” she said.

Saba Saba Day marks the uprising on July 7, 1990 when Kenyans demanded a return to multi-party democracy after years of autocratic rule by then-president Daniel arap Moi.

His government “seems to be trying to repeat the nineties, but we are not in the nineties,” said Gabrielle Lynch, an African politics expert at Britain’s University of Warwick.

“They don’t seem to have realised that the world is different. People are more politically aware, but also the communication environment has dramatically changed with the rise of social media,” she added.

“People don’t have the same in-built fear of the state.”

Source AP

Monday 7,July ,2025 {HMC} Kenya Railways has announced the temporary suspension of the 10:00 PM Madaraka Express passenger train service from Mombasa to Nairobi, citing technical issues.

The decision, communicated through a public notice on Sunday evening, affects passengers scheduled to travel on the night service along the busy Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) route.

In the statement, Kenya Railways emphasized that passenger safety remains its top priority and that the move was made out of an abundance of caution.

“We regret to notify members of the public that due to technical issues, the Madaraka Express 10PM passenger train from Mombasa to Nairobi has been suspended,” read part of the notice signed by the Managing Director.

Kenya Railways apologized for the inconvenience caused and did not provide immediate details on the nature of the technical problem or when the service is expected to resume.

Travellers are advised to seek updates through official Kenya Railways communication channels.

The suspension comes amid heightened travel disruptions earlier in the day.

A major traffic snarl-up was witnessed Saturday afternoon along the Mombasa-Diani Road, just metres from the Dongo Kundu bypass, after police mounted roadblocks targeting youths returning from the Diani Summer Tide Festival.

Motorists travelling from Kwale County en route to Nairobi via the SGR were caught in the gridlock as police launched a sweeping security operation to inspect vehicles ferrying groups of young festival-goers.

The operation, which began shortly after midday, led to significant delays, with some travellers missing the scheduled 3:00 PM SGR train to Nairobi.

Eyewitnesses said traffic came to a complete standstill as officers conducted thorough searches on each vehicle, sparking frustration among commuters.

Authorities reportedly acted on intelligence suggesting that some youths aboard the vehicles—many of whom were heard chanting “Wantam”—were planning to travel to Nairobi to join the upcoming Saba Saba commemoration on Monday.

While no arrests have been confirmed, police maintained that the checks were necessary to ensure public safety ahead of the politically sensitive date.

The Diani Summer Tide Festival, an annual beachside event, had drawn hundreds of revellers over the weekend.

Monday 7,July ,2025 {HMC} Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met Sunday with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, further deepening security and trade ties while navigating rival pressure from Cairo and Addis Ababa over the Nile’s contested waters.

The leaders agreed to fast-track a January defence pact that allows Egyptian trainers to assist Somali forces guarding Red Sea shipping lanes, officials from both capitals said. They also reviewed plans to boost bilateral trade and open a direct shipping corridor linking Mogadishu and Suez. Somali officials said deliveries of Egyptian armoured vehicles and artillery last August and September will now be folded into a broader program to re-equip the Somali National Army.

Cairo wants allies as it presses Ethiopia for a treaty guaranteeing downstream Nile flows once the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, now more than 90 percent complete, is fully operational. Meanwhile, Ethiopia has attempted to court Mogadishu with development loans and last month invited Hassan Sheikh to a GERD milestone ceremony, which Hassan Sheikh declined.

Egypt’s interest spiked after Addis Ababa signed a memorandum of understanding on Jan. 1, 2024, that gives it naval and commercial access to Berbera in Somaliland for up to 50 years — a deal Mogadishu blasted as an “illegal violation of sovereignty.”

Somalia responded by rallying a loose bloc with Egypt, Eritrea and Djibouti to counter what it saw as Ethiopia’s encroachment following the MoU. However, that deal was effectively scrapped after Turkey mediated the Ankara Declaration in December 2024

Somalia insists it remains neutral. Villa Somalia took that line in 2022 when the president’s spokesman denied reports that Mogadishu had embraced Egypt’s legal position at the U.N. Security Council. Yet sources have told HOL that Egyptian envoys have been lobbying hard for Somali support ahead of the next Nile negotiations, scheduled for September in Washington.

“Egypt moved first to counter any tightening of the Addis Ababa–Mogadishu relationship,” said Talaat Taha, a political analyst at Egypt’s Al-Fajr newspaper.

Abdisalam Haji Ahmed of Mogadishu’s Institute for Political Studies warned that overt alignment with either camp could jeopardize aid and security cooperation. “Somalia cannot afford the appearance of choosing sides in a high-stakes Nile dispute,” he said.

Somalia views Egypt as a potential partner in upgrading ports and training its coast guard, while Ethiopia supplies subsidized scholarships and military courses. Under an October 2024 implementation deal, Cairo pledged to send up to 1,000 troops to the African Union’s post-ATMIS peacekeeping mission.

A senior Somali diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters, said Villa Somalia hopes to “harvest benefits from both capitals without being branded an Egyptian proxy or an Ethiopian appendage.”

Cairo’s interest extends beyond the Nile. In April, Egypt and Djibouti declared that only coastal states should police the 3,300-kilometre coastline of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, waters that carry roughly 10 percent of global maritime trade.

Hassan Sheikh is expected to brief Somalia’s Parliament on Tuesday. Lawmakers plan to press him on how he will keep the country neutral while extracting infrastructure funding and security assistance from both Cairo and Addis Ababa. Further Egyptian arms deliveries, which were already protested by Ethiopia as “destabilizing,” are scheduled for the third quarter.

Diplomats say the true test will come when the World Bank-brokered Nile talks resume. However, Hassan Sheikh is expected to brief Somalia’s Parliament in Mogadishu on Tuesday about his Red Sea and Nile diplomacy. Lawmakers plan to question him on how he will maintain neutrality as the next round of GERD negotiations approaches.

Source Hiiraan online

Monday 7,July ,2025 {HMC} Puntland warned Sunday that Somalia’s federal government will be held accountable for any violence in the disputed Sanaag region after regional troops seized the coastal village of Elbuh and forced rival political figures to withdraw overnight.

The regional presidency said Federal Commerce Minister Mahmoud Ahmed Adan, known as Geesood, had planned to visit Elbuh on Saturday but cancelled once Puntland forces took control. Garowe accuses the minister, who earlier stopped in Laascaanood, of being used by Mogadishu to ignite “political and security unrest” in territory Puntland claims.

Among those who left Elbuh was former Puntland parliament speaker Abdirashid Yusuf Jibril, who, according to Puntland officials, was organizing a meeting to back Sanaag’s integration into the self-declared SSC-Khaatumo administration.

In Mogadishu, federal authorities are pressing a plan to fold Sool, Sanaag and Buuhoodle into a single federal-aligned administration, arguing it will settle longstanding clan disputes and improve service delivery. Puntland rejects the proposal, saying the three regions are constitutionally part of its state and that any parallel structure threatens an already fragile security landscape rife with al-Shabab activity and clan rivalries.

The regions at the center of the standoff straddle a strategic corridor linking Somaliland, Puntland and Ethiopia’s Somali region, making them a frequent flashpoint in Somalia’s complex federal experiment. Similar attempts by Mogadishu to redraw regional boundaries have previously triggered armed clashes and political boycotts.

Source Hiiraan online

Monday 7,July ,2025 {HMC} Kenya is on edge as the nation marks Saba Saba Day, with mass protests expected nationwide following weeks of public outrage over police brutality, economic hardship, and a controversial protest bill that has drawn widespread criticism.

On the eve of the demonstrations, Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris announced the suspension of the pre-publication process for the Public Order (Amendment) Bill 2025, which seeks to ban protests within 100 meters of state institutions, including Parliament, court buildings, and State House.

“I have decided to pause the pre-publication process… to allow for national dialogue and wide public engagement,” Passaris said Monday, following calls by the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) to withdraw the bill. She urged Kenyans to uphold “constitutional freedoms while ensuring public order.”

The NCCK praised her decision but also called on security forces to protect the rights of demonstrators. In a statement Sunday, the council condemned Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen’s alleged “shoot-to-kill” directive and warned against the use of lethal force.

By early Monday morning, key roads leading into Nairobi’s Central Business District were blocked by anti-riot police. Roadblocks were mounted along Waiyaki Way, Mombasa Road, Thika Road, and other major thoroughfares, leaving thousands stranded. Kenya Railways cancelled overnight trains, and many schools and businesses shut their doors, fearing looting and violence.

The police said no formal protest notice had been received, warning that unauthorized gatherings would be met with firm action under the Protected Areas Act and Penal Code.

In a televised interview, police spokesperson Michael Muchiri reiterated that “while Article 37 guarantees the right to peaceful protest, any violent or armed gatherings will be treated as criminal offences.”

The protests have been fueled by mounting public anger over the recent death of Albert Ojwang, a 31-year-old blogger who died in police custody in early June. His funeral in Kakoth Village on Friday drew thousands of mourners. An autopsy revealed injuries consistent with torture, contradicting initial police claims of self-harm.

Ojwang’s widow, Nevnina Omondi, spoke of his final words — “I love you” and “See you soon” — before he was taken away. His death triggered outrage across the country and further exposed the deep mistrust of police.

“This is not just about Albert,” said activist Odhiambo Ojiro at the funeral. “It’s about every young person who risks arrest or death for speaking out.”

Kenya’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has charged six people, including three police officers, in connection with his murder.

Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui warned that repeated protests could jeopardize Kenya’s investment climate.

“While the right to protest is enshrined in the Constitution, violence and destruction of property undermine that very freedom,” he said Sunday, cautioning that protests risk “turning Kenya into an unstable environment for investors.”

Some traders in Nairobi’s OTC area — which suffered heavy looting during protests on June 25 — said they planned to close shops and reinforce premises with metal grills and welded bars. Others moved inventory to their homes, fearing another wave of destruction.

President William Ruto faces rising public dissatisfaction over police brutality and a stagnating economy. His administration is accused of betraying campaign promises to support the working class. Protesters have dubbed him “Zakayo,” a reference to the biblical tax collector, amid claims of elitism and corruption.

Calls for Ruto to resign have become more vocal under the slogan “wantam” — or “one term.” Protesters say the president has co-opted the opposition, crushed dissent, and weaponized security forces.

Ruto defended his administration during a recent speech, warning: “If there’s no country for William Ruto, there’s no country for you.”

Saba Saba Day, observed annually on July 7, commemorates the pro-democracy protests of 1990 that forced Kenya to abandon one-party rule under former President Daniel arap Moi. This year’s protests, largely driven by Kenya’s youth, echo the same demands for accountability, justice, and systemic reform.

“Kenya today feels more fragile than it did three years ago,” said Declan Galvin, an analyst with Exigent Risk Advisory. “The young are politically aware and increasingly fearless.”

Source Hiiraan online

Monday 7,July ,2025 {HMC} Kuwait and the United Kingdom have signed two memoranda of understanding to jointly provide $10 million in humanitarian aid for conflict-affected communities in Sudan and Somalia, officials announced Sunday.

Each country will contribute $5 million. Half of the funds will support the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Sudan, ensuring continued access to essential services such as healthcare, nutrition, clean water, sanitation and child protection.

The remaining $5 million will go toward a joint initiative in Somalia led by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Kuwait and the UK will each provide $2.5 million to restore humanitarian services in areas impacted by prolonged instability and displacement.
The MoUs were signed in Kuwait by Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya, who also chairs the board of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), and David Lammy, the UK Minister of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.

Waleed Al-Bahar, acting director general of KFAED, said the agreements reflect Kuwait’s commitment to international cooperation in development, peacebuilding and humanitarian assistance.

“This renewed partnership with the UK brings together experience and shared purpose to support the most vulnerable communities in Sudan and Somalia,” Al-Bahar said. “It also underscores Kuwait’s leading role in humanitarian diplomacy both regionally and globally.”

Mamadou Sow, head of the ICRC Regional Delegation for Gulf Cooperation Council countries, praised the cooperation as a sign of united humanitarian resolve.

“This support extends beyond financial aid—it sends a clear message of solidarity with the Somali people,” Sow said. “It aims to restore vital services in long-marginalized communities that have endured decades of hardship.”

The agreements build on a 2020 cooperation framework signed between KFAED and the UK’s former Department for International Development (DFID), which established the foundation for joint humanitarian efforts to assist refugees, displaced persons and crisis-affected communities around the world.

Source Hiiraan online