Long running land disputes, gender-based violence, missing persons and the treatment of vulnerable groups have emerged as some of the key human rights concerns affecting communities at the Coast.
The issues were raised before the Senate Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights during its engagement with stakeholders at the Kilifi County Assembly.
The committee, chaired by Bomet Senator Hillary Sigei, heard submissions from the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) and the Coast Civil Society Network for Human Rights.
Rather than being isolated problems, the organisations said many of the challenges facing coastal communities are linked to access to land, justice, public services and participation in decision-making.
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770 complaints recorded by KNCHR
KNCHR Coast Regional Coordinator Brenda Dosio told the committee that the Commission had processed 770 complaints across the six coastal counties between 2024 and 2026.
The complaints covered economic and social rights, civil and political rights and group rights.
“The challenges we are documenting are interconnected. Land insecurity, missing persons, violence against children and women, conditions in detention and shrinking civic space cannot be addressed in isolation. They require coordinated action and sustained accountability,” Dosio said.
Among the concerns raised were land insecurity, missing persons, violence against women and children, conditions in detention facilities and what civil society groups describe as shrinking civic space.
Dosio said the issues required a coordinated response rather than being addressed separately.
The submissions place land at the centre of some of the region’s long-running grievances, particularly where communities feel excluded from decisions affecting their land and resources.
Women, older people and persons with disabilities face barriers
The National Gender and Equality Commission highlighted challenges affecting women, young people, persons with disabilities, older persons and other marginalised communities.
NGEC Coast Regional Coordinator Beatrice Zighe raised concerns over gender-based violence, inaccessible public facilities and attacks against elderly people accused of witchcraft.
“We cannot speak of equality when vulnerable groups remain excluded from services, leadership and justice. Protection of older persons, women, children and persons with disabilities must move from policy commitments to implementation,” said Zighe.
The concerns point to gaps between policies intended to protect vulnerable groups and their implementation at community level.
Land remains a source of conflict
The Coast Civil Society Network for Human Rights identified unresolved land injustices as one of the region’s persistent problems.
Its chairperson, Zedekiah Adika, also raised concerns about police conduct, restrictions on civic space and inadequate public participation.
“Land remains at the centre of many conflicts at the Coast. Communities need transparency, meaningful participation and protection against unlawful dispossession if these longstanding grievances are to be resolved,” Adika said.
Land disputes at the Coast have historically involved questions around ownership, tenure, historical injustices and access to land.
The latest submissions indicate that the issue remains relevant to communities seeking clarity and protection from unlawful dispossession.
Adika called for greater transparency and meaningful public participation in decisions involving land.
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Senate to examine submissions
The Senate committee is expected to retreat and scrutinise the submissions before preparing a report for consideration by the Senate.
Senator Sigei said the committee would examine areas requiring accountability and possible legislative intervention.
The process could provide an opportunity for the Senate to examine whether existing laws and institutions are adequately addressing the human rights concerns raised by communities and rights organisations across the Coast.
For residents, the bigger issue is whether the concerns raised at the Kilifi meeting will translate into concrete action on land disputes, protection from violence, access to public services and the participation of marginalised groups in decisions affecting their lives.
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