Governance expert Fred Ogola says the opposition is gathering detailed evidence of of human rights abuses that took place in the recent anti-government protests, with a view to bringing those responsible to book.
In an interview at a local TV station on Thursday, July 10, 2025, Ogola explained that the opposition is targeting speedy action by recording cases in which protesters were shot or injured.
“At the moment I am saying this, but you may not realise it in every scene where shooting is taking place, we have cameras capturing everything in detail. They are undercover, and you cannot tell who is taking the footage. We are collecting enormous data,” he said.
Ogola revealed that in nearly all of the locations where violence or shootings were occurring, undercover teams were already on site recording real-time videos and photos, sometimes without security agents or the individuals involved in the clashes knowing.
Fred Ogola said that the evidence being gathered is extensive and forms a good and growing pool of evidence to be applied in ongoing efforts towards seeking accountability.
Witness Protection Plan
He said the evidence will be uploaded to an online portal that is central and backed by a witness protection program to shield the victims and informants from assault as they testify.
He noted that all the data is being securely stored on a centralized online platform, which the opposition plans to make publicly accessible through their official website. This portal will allow citizens across the country to submit their own reports and accounts of abuse.
“If you go to our website, there will be a portal where anyone can upload any case, and we will link it with the evidence we have already collected. So no one can say there is not enough evidence,” Ogola explained.
According to him, each submission will be cross-referenced and verified against the video and photographic documentation already captured by undercover teams, ensuring credibility and accuracy.
Ogola asserted that the opposition is determined to leave no room for impunity, insisting that every claim of abuse must be backed by solid evidence and all offenders brought to book.
He explained that the group is in the process of building watertight cases that could not be dismissed for lacking documents.
A core element of this job, he added, is building a robust witness protection system in order to safeguard those who testify with evidence or information that can be very crucial.
Ogola cited President William Ruto’s previous International Criminal Court (ICC) case as an example, mentioning witness intimidation and absence of protection as being at the core of its failure.
“We are also working on how to protect and secure witnesses, because that is the reason Ruto’s ICC case never succeeded.”
Shift from ‘Kumi Bila Break’: Opposition Prioritizes Action Over Ambition
Ogola at the same time revealed a significant shift in strategy within the opposition camp, led by figures such as JB Muturi.
He said the opposition has moved away from the long-term political mantra of “kumi bila break” – a slogan suggesting a ten-year uninterrupted leadership plan – and is now prioritizing immediate action to address the hardships Kenyans are currently enduring.
Ogola explained that after holding internal consultations, it became clear that the ongoing suffering faced by ordinary citizens could not be ignored in the name of future political ambitions.
“The united opposition, in their wisdom, decided that instead of waiting for power under slogans like ‘kumi bila break’, they needed to act now,” he said.
“Before, you would hear them sounding like, ‘when we take power…’, but after a meeting with JB Muturi, who is our chair, we discovered that the issues affecting Kenyans are painful right now. Waiting to take power is not the solution.”
