Questions raised on spate of abductions as Kanja exonerates police

Police yesterday distanced themselves from the growing menace amid increasing pressure on government to explain why people are being randomly picked and held incommunicado, with some being killed and their bodies dumped.

A pattern is emerging about those being targeted to be social media enthusiasts critical of the Kenya Kwanza administration. The latest abductions involve Bernard Kavuli, Billy Mwangi, Peter Muteti and Gideon Kibet, all kidnapped after posting on social media.

Kavuli was picked at a petrol station in Ngong town on Sunday evening by four armed men who bundled him into a vehicle and sped off.

A fourth-year journalism student at Mt Kenya University, the 24-year-old Kavuli’s seizure is linked to his comments on X platform, in which he criticised the government.

Kavuli’s abduction came soon after Mwangi and Muteti were separately picked in similar style now worrying Kenyans with the civil society, Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and politicians coming up strongly to condemn the blatant violation of human rights while pointing an accusing finger at the State.

Mwangi, a social media influencer, was pulled from a barber shop by four armed men wearing masks on December 21 who then threw him into a pick up before speeding off towards Embu-Nairobi Highway. 

There is fear the kidnapping is linked to a post he made on X with an AI-generated picture portraying President William Ruto in bad light.

Muteti, another a social media influencer with considerable following on X was picked outside his house in Nairobi’s Uthiru on the same day.

The 21-year-old was kidnapped by two armed men who forced him into a moving car. Shortly before his kidnapping, Muteti had expressed fear for his life after receiving threatening messages on his X platform. The threats came after a post he made on December 19 featuring President Ruto, which he deleted later that day, fearing for his safety.

The latest incidents beg the question of who could be behind the abductions after Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja for the umpteenth time, denied involvement of security agents as Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and DAP boss Eugene Wamalwa directed their anger at the police.

According to security experts, the precision of the abductions can only be carried out by well-trained individuals and not ordinary criminals who might to have the audacity and capacity to do such missions.

George Musamali, a former Embakasi paramilitary police college instructor turned security analyst believes a parallel unit answerable to the IG could be behind the wave of abductions.

That a few rogue police officers might have been selected to do the “dirty job” of instilling fear in and silencing government critics akin to what used to happen in 1990s when a few officers nicknamed “security homeboys” tormented those who attempted to stand against the regime.

“This is the work of government, and those involved are a few hand-picked officers with a specific brief. They are not answerable to the IG who is taking a lot flak yet he is in darkness of what is happening,” noted Musamali.

However, according to him, as worrying the trend is, it shows the police are not in control of the security situation. He wonders why police are unable to get the kidnappers who appear to have changed their modus operandi.

“We are on our own; we can’t trust the police, they are clueless. This is a confusing state of affairs where youth are picked but not taken to court, and when pressure mounts, some are set free while others are never found alive,” said Musamali.

Yesterday, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja told The Standard that his officers are doing all they can to unmask those behind the abductions. “We are pursuing them (abductors), and once we get them, they will be taken to court,” said Mr Kanja while appealing to the public to volunteer or share any relevant information.

He defended police against any acts of misconducting, suggesting that the spat of kidnappings could be the work of criminal gangs.

In an earlier statement while appearing to respond to Raila, Kalonzo, Wamalwa, Police Reforms Working Group (PRWG) and IPOA, Mr Kanja reiterated that his officers have nothing to do with the kidnappings the Kenya Kwanza administration upon ascending to power in 2022, swore to stop completely.

“The National Police Service is deeply concerned with the ongoing allegations that police officers are involved in abductions of persons in Kenya. For clarity, the Constitutional mandate of the National Police Service is not to abduct, but arrest criminal offenders,” said the IG in a statement.

According to Kanja, the procedure as per the Service Standing Orders demands that all arrests be recorded in the Occurrence Book for subsequent arraignment in court of law, or the suspects be released from police custody if they fail to meet the procedural threshold.

“For avoidance of doubt, the National Police Service is not involved in any abduction, and there is no police station in the country that is holding the reported abductees,” said the police boss.

Kanja however reminded Kenyans that as much the Constitution guarantees them the freedom of expression, freedom not only comes with certain limitations but should at all times be exercised with utmost responsibility.

“We therefore appeal to the public to refrain from spreading false, fabricated, malicious, distasteful, misinformed and unverified information aimed at tarnishing the reputation and image of the National Police Service,” he said adding that IPOA is investigating the latest spate of abductions.

On Christmas Day PRWG, IPOA and a host of politicians accused police of laxity as abductors tormented Kenyans with unbridled impunity.

“We remind the government of its unequivocal duty to uphold the Constitution, which guarantees the freedom and security of the person under Article 29. Any arrest or detention must strictly adhere to the rule of law, including the obligation to provide access to legal representation, present those arrested before a court of law within 24 hours or release them on bond, as stipulated in Article 49 of the Constitution,” said PRWG.

In a statement, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said the abductions “are perpetuated clandestinely, with unidentified armed persons”.

“There have been 13 more cases of abductions or enforced disappearances in the last three months bringing to 82 the total cases since June 2024. Seven of the recent abduction cases were reported in December 2024 with six of them still missing, bringing to 29 the total number of persons still missing since June 2024,” the Commission said.

“Abductions are torture, cruel, degrading and inhuman treatment: a non derogable right. They have no place in a democratic state like ours. The Commission warns that if these patterns of abductions continue, then we shall be rapidly retrogressing back to the dark days of our history,” it added. IPOA said it had dispatched teams to investigate circumstances surrounding the abductions of Kavuli, Mwangi and Muteti, promising to take action against police should culpability be established.

“Where fault is found, the Authority shall make recommendations for prosecution, internal disciplinary action or any other appropriate relief, and shall make public the responses received to these recommendations,” said IPOA chairperson Issack Hassan.

Busia Senator Senator Okiya Omtatah linked the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to the disappearance of Rony Kibet, a 23-year-old animator popular for his satirical art targeting Kenya’s leadership.

The Egerton University student was last seen after meeting Omtatah to strategise on his presidential aspirations.

Kibet’s sister, Mercy Cherotich, revealed that her brother’s trip to Nairobi was driven by two isues – to attend the meeting with Omtatah and to search for their other brother, Rony Kiplangat, who had also gone missing just days earlier.

“We thought Rony had gone to church, but when evening came, and he didn’t return, we got worried. Kibet decided to go to Nairobi to find out what happened,” Cherotich said.

The family reported Rony’s disappearance to the police at Thogoto Patrol Base in Kikuyu under OB number 06/25/12/2024, while Kibet’s disappearance was reported at Upper Hill Police Station.

Speaking during a Christmas service in Siaya, Raila Odinga termed the abductions retrogressive and a dark reminder of Kenya’s history of suppressing dissent.

“This is a betrayal of the democratic freedoms we fought so hard to secure. We demand the immediate release of these young men and an end to such barbaric practices,” said the former Prime Minister.