NAIROBI,Kenya Apr 9-The Kenya Human Rights Commission has accused state security agencies and a foreign mining firm of human rights violations following the killing of residents in Ramula, Siaya County.
At least two people were killed on Monday in Gem–Ramula, Siaya County, following a mid-morning protest over alleged evictions linked to Shanta Gold Kenya Limited.
Residents staged the demonstration demanding action on the evictions, but tensions escalated, leading to the fatalities.
In a statement, the lobby group said the deaths occurred on Monday, April 6, 2026, after police allegedly opened fire on unarmed residents who had staged a peaceful protest over land rights, lack of consent, and transparency concerns surrounding mining operations associated with Shanta Gold Limited.
KHRC termed the incident a clear and unjustifiable use of excessive force, accusing police of using live ammunition against civilians exercising their constitutional rights.
“We state, without reservation, that there can be no justification for the use of lethal force against unarmed citizens,” the commission said.
The rights body also criticised the conduct of security agencies, including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, accusing officers of harassment, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation of local residents. It cited cases where families have allegedly been forced into financial distress due to legal battles arising from what it described as trumped-up charges.
“The use of live ammunition against peaceful protesters is a clear and unjustifiable abuse of power by state security agencies.We are witnessing the weaponisation of the criminal justice system to silence communities legitimately demanding accountability,”KHRC noted.
KHRC further raised concern over what it called the securitization of a civilian and regulatory matter, faulting the involvement of the Ministry of Interior and National Administration instead of the Ministry of Mining and Blue Economy, which it said holds the proper mandate.
The commission also questioned the role of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, accusing it of failing to exercise independent judgment by sustaining charges linked to the arrests.
On the legal front, KHRC alleged that mining activities were continuing in defiance of a court order issued in case ELCLPET/E002/2025 by the Siaya Law Courts, which restrained processes related to resettlement and compensation.
” This is not a procedural lapse; it is a direct assault on the authority of the courts and the foundations of constitutional governance,” Owalla, noted.
The statement also faulted regulatory processes, claiming the project’s Environmental and Social Impact Assessment lacked a Resettlement Action Plan despite the risk of displacement. It added that affected communities had not been adequately informed about compensation plans, even as reports emerged of potential relocation affecting more than 1,200 households.
KHRC accused state agencies, including the National Land Commission, of failing to safeguard community land rights, and criticised local leadership for what it described as silence in the face of escalating tensions.
“Communities cannot be excluded from decisions that fundamentally affect their land, livelihoods, and future.The State has a duty to protect its citizens not to deploy force against them in defence of corporate interests,”the commission asserted.
The organisation further took issue with recent remarks by the Principal Secretary for Mining, who indicated plans to proceed with licensing the company in Ikolomani despite unresolved concerns in Ramula.
“Engagement with communities cannot be outsourced to boardrooms and hotels,” KHRC said.
The commission has now called for an independent investigation into the killings, accountability for officers involved, and an immediate halt to what it described as harassment and intimidation of community members.