NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 2 – NARC Kenya party leader Martha Karua has called for the immediate and unconditional release of all individuals who have been abducted, accusing the police of being directly responsible for the wave of disappearances across the country.
Karua placed the blame on the government for overseeing the abductions, which have involved both Kenyan citizens and foreign nationals.
She cited the recent abduction of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye in Nairobi’s Riverside area as one of the latest troubling cases.
“We are reminding President Ruto that Kenya has a constitution, and we are demanding that all abducted persons be released forthwith to celebrate festivities with their families,” she said on Friday.
Karua’s sentiments come amid mounting pressure on the government to provide clarity on the disturbing wave of disappearances.
The government, however, continues to mount a defense, dismissing its complicity in the abductions.
Denial
Overnight, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) distanced itself from the abductions, a stance similarly shared by the Kenya Police Service.
“We have received reports of alleged abductions, and the DCI is diligently working to investigate these claims,” said the DCI in a statement.
The recent cases have raised alarm as they involve individuals who have voiced opposition to the government, particularly through social media platforms.
Over the weekend, several other activists—Billy Mwangi, Peter Muteti, Bernard Kavuli, Kibet Bull, and Naomi—were reported missing across various counties, including Embu, Nairobi, and Kajiado.
All five had been active on social media, often sharing satirical content or edited images critical of President Ruto.
The rising number of abductions has prompted widespread public outcry, with many questioning the role of security agencies in the disappearances.
Civil society groups and human rights organizations, including the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), have expressed concern over the growing trend.
KNCHR capped the number of unaccounted-for persons at twenty-nine as of Thursday, with thirteen new cases reported in the last three months, bringing the total number of cases to eighty-two since June 2024.
Source: capitalfm
