Lupita Nyong'o Speaks Out Against "Chilling" Kenya Crackdown

Kenyan-Mexican actress and activist Lupita Nyong'o recently shared her outrage towards the ongoing crackdown in Kenya against anti-tax protests, starting in June of 2024. In an interview with the BBC, Nyong'o took issue with how the Kenyan government has handled the demonstrations, where police have brutally treated protesters and many died. With her comments, a draw has been created to human rights abuses occurring within the country, bringing more awareness from around the world.

Human rights groups reported that the police in Kenya responded to protests with violence, leaving dozens dead, and many others disappeared or abducted. The protests had started after a controversial finance bill was introduced that included increased taxes. Nyong'o, whose career has been marked by powerful performances in "12 Years a Slave" and "Black Panther", said she was utterly disappointed by the tactics of the government because they smell of the darker days of Kenya's past.

Nyong'o's connection to the issue adds emotional weight to her criticism. Her father, Anyang' Nyong'o, was jailed and tortured under the authoritarian regime of former president Daniel Arap Moi in the 1980s. Moi ruled Kenya with a rod of iron-a silencing opposition and suppressing dissent which included the disappearance of Nyong'o's uncle whose body was never found. It is chilling to know that this government is resorting to tactics that I had thought had been left in the past," she recalled, citing those harrowing experiences. While the administration of President William Ruto under the United Democratic Alliance claims that it is incomparable with the Moi era, Nyong'o remains unconvinced.

These moves, which include the halting of the finance bill, have been viewed as attempts by the government to appease the protesters, but the bloodshed and the police response marred the administration's record on how it tackled the situation. The government said it regretted any deaths that may have occurred during the protests but denied any systematic abuses, saying those responsible would be held accountable.

Nyong'o also spoke about her admiration for the youth on the front lines, seeking a different kind of future in Kenya. These protesters, many of them young people, push back against what they claim is oppressive governance. Her comments came as she promoted her new podcast "Mind Your Own", which brings African stories to the fore. In an episode entitled "The Freedom Fathers", Nyong'o recalls her father's experience under Moi's regime and links it to struggles going on today.

On her platform, Lupita Nyong'o shines a light on the plight of her home country, speaking out for justice and human rights in the face of evolving political struggles within Kenya.