On 5 September 2025, Wayamo held an engagement in Nairobi for Kenyan civil society actors on “Creative ways to disrupt international criminal activity”.
The discussion of potential pathways to advance international criminal justice in the region builds upon previous meetings with South African civil society, held in Pretoria, South Africa in May 2025, Kenyan CSOs in Nairobi, Kenya in April 2025 and a regional meeting for civil society actors from Kenya, Uganda, Sudan and South Africa held in February 2025.
Bettina Ambach.
In her opening remarks, Wayamo Director Bettina Ambach traced the journey of the sessions held to date, as well as some key milestones thus far.
“Our meeting today provides a platform to share insights, refine tools and explore innovative strategies to disrupt the commission of international crimes,” she said.
Being part of Wayamo’s Sudan project activities, Ambach stressed the importance the organisation has attached to having a multi-stakeholder approach in driving meaningful coordinated action to disrupt international crimes.
The meeting was attended by various Kenyan civil society actors, with guest presentations and inputs from Kirsty Sutherland a barrister, specialising in international criminal, humanitarian and public law; Adejoké Babington-Ashaye, International Law Expert with a focus on accountability for SGBV and Yonah Diamond, Senior Legal Counsel, Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights.
While Kirsty Sutherland discussed the practicality of universal jurisdiction cases, she characterised it more as “an opportunity rather than an impediment.”
Adejoké Babington-Ashaye explored the different sanction tracks, from UN to national and regional sanctions, emphasising that sanctions should not only focus on individuals but also on entities (state-linked corporations, financial enablers, arms suppliers).
“It is important to try and document that you have tried,” she said, encouraging the audience to persist in filing actions. “This is another way to measure incremental success.”
She also encouraged the audience to “think broadly and use naming-and-shaming strategies.”
Yonah Diamond discussed strategic litigation opportunities and invited the audience to consider bringing states and companies to court.
Discussion sessions were moderated by Wayamo Foundation International Criminal Lawyer Linda Bore, and Senior International Legal Advisor, Mikel Delagrange.
During the engagement, CSO representatives emphasised the timeliness of the discussions, with one participant commenting that “fostering cooperation and collaboration among like-minded actors committed to international criminal justice in our region is indispensable for effective action.”
Several “building blocks for disruption” were discussed, from potential avenues for universal jurisdiction through existing legislation including Kenya’s International Crimes Act and Prevention of Torture Act, to the possibility of private prosecutions and the right to access to information.
At the end of the deliberations, it was agreed that Kenya´s judiciary, the legal community and members of institutions like the International Commission of Jurists and the Law Society of Kenya had shown willingness to respond to public interest litigation and broader accountability demands and that they could play a crucial enabling role. Kenya already has a legal framework that could potentially support action to pursue accountability for international crimes committed in the region, especially when combined with anti-money laundering and human rights laws.
In conclusion, Wayamo expressed its commitment to continue organising such meetings, not only to create a coalition of CSO actors, but to also build momentum for justice and accountability in the region.
September 2025 Wayamo civil society engagement in Nairobi.
