; Whereas, although the September 1, 2017, decision of the Supreme Court of Kenya to nullify the results of the August 2017 election demonstrated the independence of the judiciary, a result of reforms under the new Constitution of Kenya, subsequent threats and attacks against judges, disregard by government officials for court orders, and a more recent effort by the Government of Kenya to cut the budget of the judiciary raise concerns about respect for the separation of powers in Kenya; Whereas, following the electoral victory of President Uhuru Kenyatta in October 2017, the Government of Kenya has targeted the media and access to information, despite numerous public promises to safeguard press freedom; Whereas, more recently, journalists and civil society activists have raised concerns that a new cybercrime law that criminalizes the publication of fake news may be used to stifle press freedom; Whereas reports of anti-riot police physically attacking journalists, senior government officials threatening journalists, and arbitrary arrests and kidnappings of journalists suggest a pattern of abuse and a closing of civic space; Whereas an independent, impartial media is crucial to ensure access to information for the people of Kenya as afforded by the Constitution of Kenya; Whereas the lack of accountability for the police of Kenya and actions to limit democratic space for civil society threaten to undermine the Constitution of Kenya and the rule of law; Whereas the religious, ethnic, and geographic diversity of the people of Kenya is a source of strength and economic vitality for the country; Whereas the courts of Kenya have made some progress in providing access to justice, as demonstrated when the High Court agreed to hear a case, brought by 3 rights groups representing the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community (in this preamble referred to as the LGBT community ), to challenge parts of the penal code seen as targeting the LGBT community