Targeted voices? Profile of kidnapped Kenyans fuels suspicions

Police arrest activist Boniface Mwangi during Gen-Z demonstrations along Koinange Street, Nairobi, on July 25, 2024. [File, Standard]

A look at the people who have been kidnapped by individuals alleged to be police officers may provide insight as to why the State is after them.

It is now 56 days since Wajir MCA Yusuf Hussein Ahmed was kidnapped from a taxi by unknown people in Industrial Area, in Nairobi County. Before he went missing, the family said that he had been summoned by Wajir County Security and Intelligence Committee to address issues touching on security.

The family now believes that police are behind his disappearance.

On Thursday, County Assemblies Forum resolved that they would cripple operations in all 47 county assemblies in the next 14 days if the government fails to produce him.

Blogger Scophine Aoko alias Maverick Aoko has been missing or rather has been inactive on her social media accounts for some time now.

Known for her strong opinions on all matters considered controversial by some and bold by others, she had not posted anything on X since October 22.

Six days later, a tweet on her X account was posted by a person who introduced themselves as her aide and informed Kenyans that she had been missing for days. According to the tweet, her house had been broken into and before the incident, there had been people who were seen hovering around her house.

Her disappearance has been highly speculated as a kidnapping by people believed to be police officers. “After her tweet on Mr “F” she went incognito, which we (family and friends) thought it normal, perhaps she just wanted to confuse enemies. We still don’t know her whereabouts. Whom do we report to?” said the aide.

Lawyer John Eric Wesonga alias Lavani Milam was kidnapped on Tuesday evening and freed on Wednesday by people who had trailed him for some time in Ruaka, Kiambu County, where he had gone shopping.

In a video posted by activist Hussein Khalid, his family said that he had been freed. “Comrade Lavani has been found. His family says he was tortured. They’ve asked for time and will say more later,” Khalid captioned the short video.

According to his family, he was an active commentator on matters of politics and governance and they believe this was the reason he was taken.

Boniface Mwangi can perhaps claim the title of the most vocal activist in the country.

On Sunday morning he was picked up by several men while at home in his Machakos County where he was with his children.

His whereabouts remained unknown until the next day when he was freed from the Kamukunji Police Station after the State decided not to prefer any charges against him.

The disappearance, arrest or kidnap of the three is not any different to what Kenyans were treated to during the anti-tax demonstrations in June and July.

Among the people who were arrested were journalist Macharia Gaitho, though the Directorate of Criminal Investigations boss Mohamed Amin later came out to say that it was a case of mistaken identity. He said that they were after Francis Gaitho, who is vocal on X.

Others who were abducted and released include Political commentator Gabriel Oguda, Austin Omondi, a medical doctor, who rallied others in the medical field to attend to injured protestors, Shad Khalif and Bob Njagi.