The Board and Secretariat of the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) are deeply saddened by the demise of comrade Mugambi Kiai on February 23, 2026. We extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and the wider human rights movement.
Mugambi shared a long and deep relationship with KHRC, having volunteered as one of its first staff members in the early 1990s. He joined KHRC at a time of severe political repression under KANU and the dictatorship of Daniel arap Moi, when the risks were high.
Mugambi was an exceptionally brilliant and fearless constitutional lawyer and governance expert. Throughout his life, he was a strong voice for human rights and democracy in Kenya and beyond.
At the time of his death, Mugambi was serving as Regional Director at ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa. He previously worked as a Senior Advisor at Open Society Initiative for East Africa (OSIEA), where he supported civic action and democratic reform across the region.
Mugambi remained a trusted supporter, advisor, and source of inspiration to KHRC and the broader human rights community. He was the chief strategist for the Angaza Movement, a governance-sector initiative that promoted rights-based, transformative engagement before and after the 2022 general elections.
He was also the lead convenor of “Simba 8”, a forum of eight revolutionary human rights defenders. Just three weeks before his demise, despite his health, Mugambi hosted an online conversation on the state of the nation, which demonstrated his resilience and enduring commitment to the struggle.
Mugambi’s legacy will live on in the movements he strengthened, the ideas he shaped, and the courage he inspired. Comrade, rest in power!