Terror Charges or Tactics? Orengo Sounds Alarm Over State’s Crackdown on Dissent

A chilling warning from Siaya Governor James Orengo has sparked fresh debate about the government's use of terrorism laws. In a tense address on Sunday, Orengo claimed the state is deploying extreme legal tactics to intimidate protesters and suppress growing discontent.

“This is not justice—it’s a calculated weapon,” Orengo said during a public gathering in Siaya town. He decried what he described as the criminalisation of free expression, pointing to the charging of peaceful protesters, many of them youth, with terrorism and incitement. Orengo compared the current political climate to Kenya’s dark past, when oppressive regimes silenced dissent under the guise of law and order.

His remarks follow a string of high-profile arrests tied to the Gen Z protests that rocked the country in 2024. Activists, including Boniface Mwangi, have been accused of orchestrating unrest and inciting violence—allegations many human rights organisations view as exaggerated or outright fabricated. The Director of Criminal Investigations recently confirmed the charges, triggering widespread outrage.

Legal watchdogs, including the Law Society of Kenya, have raised red flags, calling for the Director of Public Prosecutions to drop what they term as "politically engineered" charges. Civil society groups argue that such legal actions are designed to paralyse activism and breed fear among potential demonstrators.

Despite mounting pressure, the government has remained tight-lipped, refusing to address the growing concerns directly. Orengo, meanwhile, urged Parliament and the judiciary to act as a counterbalance before “state overreach becomes the new normal.”

As Kenya approaches a critical political season, the question lingers: Are these terrorism charges a pursuit of justice—or a strategy to silence an increasingly restless public?