Boniface Mwangi, Hanifa Adan, Hussein Khalid Win Human Rights Defender of the Year Award

Three Kenyan activists were feted at an awards ceremony on Friday, November 29, recognizing them for their commitment to protecting human rights.

Boniface Mwangi, Hanifa Adan, and Hussein Khalid were awarded the Human Rights Defender of the Year award during the Human Rights Defenders (HRD) Awards. The event was held at the Royal Danish Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.

The three, who are prominent activists in Kenya, were jointly awarded the prize, which is under the Working Group on Human Rights Defenders in Kenya, which brings together Civic Society Organizations and development partners concerned with the protection of HRDs.

The three were honoured for the role they played in the June-August Gen Z protests that were witnessed in Kenya in 2024. Together, they managed to lead Kenyans in advocating for the withdrawal of the Finance Bill, 2024.

In addition, Boniface Mwangi was recognized for his contributions towards advancing good governance, constitutionalism, the rule of law, and the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Kenya. 

Hussein was honoured for his contribution to ensuring access to justice for survivors and families of victims of rights violations. Hanifa, on the other hand, was awarded for her dedication to the promotion of public integrity in Kenya. 

The aim of the ceremony is to honour and publicly recognise the important work of HRDs in Kenya by giving out awards to men and women who have demonstrated courage and impact in the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. 

The awards are presented in four categories: the Munir Mazrui Lifetime Achievement Award, the Human Rights Defender of the Year Award, the upcoming Human Rights Defender of the Year Award, and the Global Solidarity Award.

While speaking after winning the award, Hanifa Adan expressed her joy at winning the award and dedicated the award to Kenyans who lost their lives in the June-August Gen Z protests witnessed in 2024. The award was her fourth in 2024.

“I feel honoured to have won the Human Rights Defender of the Year Award. It’s such an honour, and this is my fourth award this year. I dedicate this award to each and every comrade that we lost during the Gen Z protests,” Hanifa noted.

“They are the real heroes, and I dedicate this award to them,” she added. Hanifa further acknowledged the pressure that came with defending human rights but urged upcoming human rights activists to remain unbowed in the fight.

“I won’t say it has been easy, honestly. It has been hard as well. There are the pros and the cons but I am humbled, grateful, and honoured. I would like to encourage anyone—any human rights defender, the young—to please do not give up. Do not be humbled, and do not be bent as well. The struggle is continuous. Eternal vigilance. Aluta continua. There is no going back,” she affirmed.

Hussein Khalid while receiving his award expressed his surprise at being feted but acknowledged the role of activism in the country this year.

“I am really shocked by this, but when I look back, it is because of the so many days and sleepless nights we spent doing post-mortems and autopsies for the comrades that we lost in the protests,” Khalid stated. The activist went ahead to request a moment’s silence for the deceased.