Kenya Bans Muslim Brotherhood, Hizb ut-Tahrir Under Terrorism Act

Kenya Bans Muslim Brotherhood, Hizb ut-Tahrir Under Terrorism Act

Kenya has officially designated the Muslim Brotherhood and Hizb-ur-Tahrir as terrorist entities under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (Cap. 59B), the Star (Kenya) has reported.

Kenya has now joined countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Russia, which have formally designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation.

The declaration, published in Legal Notice No. 157 of the Kenya Gazette Supplement on September 19, 2025, was issued by Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen, under Section 3(3) of the Act.

The order, known as the Prevention of Terrorism (Declaration of Specified Entities) Order, 2025, takes immediate effect and would remain in force until revoked by the Cabinet Secretary or a court.

It criminalises membership, support, fundraising, or propaganda linked to the groups.

In the notice dated September 19, 2025, Muirkomen said: “The declaration shall remain in force until it is revoked by the Cabinet Secretary or by order of the court.”

The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna, is widely regarded as the most influential Islamist movement of the 20th century.

It blends Islamic revivalist ideology with social, educational, and political activism, aspiring to see governments across the Muslim world governed according to Islamic law.

The Brotherhood has inspired affiliates and branches across the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and beyond.

In recent years, states such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Russia have outlawed the Brotherhood, citing its alleged role in spreading extremism and undermining state stability.