Dennis Orengo
Dennis Orengo is a Kenyan human rights defender and the Co-founder and Head of the Legal Committee at the Social Justice Centres Working Group (SJCWG), a grassroots coalition advancing community organizing and access to justice in Kenya’s informal settlements. Raised in the slums, Dennis’s activism is deeply personal, shaped by the trauma of losing friends to extrajudicial killings and the systemic neglect of poor communities. That early exposure to injustice became the fuel for a lifelong commitment to legal empowerment and social transformation.
At SJCWG, Dennis plays a central role in coordinating legal strategies, training paralegals, and equipping community justice centers to document and respond to human rights violations. He is widely respected for translating legal frameworks into tools of resistance and protection for marginalized populations, particularly in urban settlements plagued by police brutality, unlawful evictions, and socioeconomic exclusion. His advocacy has been instrumental in amplifying the voices of victims, influencing public discourse, and holding state actors accountable.
Dennis’s leadership extends beyond legal work. He mentors young activists, strengthens movement infrastructure, and fosters solidarity between communities and national civil society. Grounded, relentless, and unapologetically rooted in the lived realities of the urban poor, Dennis continues to be a vital force in Kenya’s push for people-centered justice.