Lobby groups call for countrywide protests over abductions

Embu town was rocked by protests over the abduction of 24-year-old Billy Mwangi. [Muriithi Mugo]

Kenyans expressed outrage at the rampant cases of abductions in the country even as President William Ruto broke his silence about the disturbing trend. 

Lobby groups warned of a fresh round of countrywide demonstrations to push the State to release those believed to have been abducted by security agents and declare an end to the arrests.

In a press briefing on Friday in Nairobi, human rights lobby groups, Kikao, and Haki Africa threatened to mobilise Kenyans to come out in large numbers to protest against the abductions.

They said the cases were sparking outrage across the country even as police have distanced themselves from the abductions, some of which were reported on Christmas Day.

"On Monday, we are calling for the mother of all protests in all the 47 counties and the diaspora to speak in one voice for our fellow comrades," said Kikao chairperson Lavani Mila, calling on President William Ruto to come clean on the matter.

Odhiambo Ojiro of Haki Africa said: "It is a painful ordeal for people to be missing while the government that is supposed to protect its people is silent." 

Speaking in Homa Bay President Ruto urged parents to be responsible for their children as he promised to end the abductions.

“We will ensure we end the abduction which is being talked about in the country. We want every Kenyan to live peacefully. I also urge parents to be responsible in taking care of their children. As a government, we will also do our part,” Ruto said.

Family members of the victims who were in the company of the activists pleaded with President Ruto to intervene and assist them to have their kin back. 

"We have walked in all police stations, hospitals, morgues to no avail. It is now two weeks without knowing the whereabouts of my brother. President, you said you are a Christian, let us have our relatives back," pleaded Monica Mwende, sister to Kalani Mwema who was abducted by masked men in Mlolongo on December 16. 

24-year-old Billy Mwangi was abducted while waiting for a haircut in Embu last week. [Courtesy]

Away from Nairobi, protests erupted in Embu, paralysing the town as residents and the business community took to the streets to protest the abduction of Billy Mwangi, a 24-year-old student who has been missing for a week.

Manyatta lawmaker Gitonga Mukunji, who joined the protesters, criticised the authorities for inaction and issued a 24-hour ultimatum for Mwangi’s release.

“The parents are living in fear, not knowing where their son is, and we cannot remain silent. Who will be targeted next?” Mukunji asked, warning of more protests if there was no progress.

At the same time, Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has weighed into the matter, calling for the resignation of Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja who has denied involvement of his officers in the abductions. 

While describing the police's denial of involvement in the enforced disappearances as inadequate, LSK President Faith Odhiambo called for clarity from the police boss. 

"If the holder of this office is incapable of fulfilling that mandate, it would be in the nation's best interest for him to either rise to the occasion and discharge his duties effectively or tender his resignation forthwith. Anything less would amount to a betrayal of public trust," she said. 

She added: "It is insufficient for the Inspector General of Police to merely deny police involvement in these abductions without explicitly outlining the steps being taken to address these egregious violations."

LSK accused the Inspector General of lacking awareness of his mandate under the law or ability to discharge it effectively.

"This is a grave abdication of duty that cannot be tolerated in a constitutional democracy," Odhiambo added.

This comes hours after Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) registered their concerns over the "worrying pattern of abductions in several parts of the country." 

The Commission's chairperson, Roiseline Odede, faulted the police, insisting that they must take responsibility for "these abductions perpetuated clandestinely, with unidentified armed persons and in broad daylight." 

"The Commission strongly condemns these abductions which fall outside the dictates of the Constitution. Abductions are torture, cruel, degrading and inhuman treatment: a non-derogable right," KNCHR said in a statement on Thursday. 

"The Commission warns that if these patterns of abductions continue, then we shall be rapidly retrogressing back to the dark days of our history when such attacks were primarily to inflict fear on any person critical of the Government," Odede added. 

Embu residents demand the release of 24-year-old Billy Mwangi. [Murithi Mugo, Standard]

According to KNCHR, 13 people have been abducted and disappeared mysteriously in the last three months alone, bringing to 82 the total cases since the Gen Z protests in June. 

National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichung'wah and Leader of Minority Junet Mohamed yesterday called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to openly implement the Computer misuse and Cyber Crimes Act and openly arrest individuals who have broken that law

"People putting others in coffins and the issue of cyber crimes, I challenge DCI, if there are people who have gone against the law arrest them and take them before courts of law," said Ichung'wah and added "That will be a deterrent to those who are misusing computers, Artificial Intelligence not only to insult but to do very uncivilised things."

"There is freedom of speech" Said Junet "but in  2018 we passed the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crime Act. I ask that if someone has gone against it, they be arrested and taken to court. I appeal to Kenyans, don't place a Head of State in a coffin." 

They were speaking at House Speaker Moses Wetang'ula's event in Bungoma.

Several leaders have also weighed in to condemn the heinous act with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua vowing to unmask the faces behind the abductions, forced disappearance and extra-judicial killings. 

Yesterday, Gachagua claimed that the unit used by the State to silence dissent operates independently of the Inspector General of Police, and is led by a relative of a senior government official.

“There is a unit that is not under the command of the Inspector General of Police. It operates out of a building on the 21st floor in Nairobi’s city center, led by a certain “Mr Abel,” who is a cousin to a very senior official in this government,” claimed Gachagua.

He said he will reveal the details of the building used to hold the abductees incommunicado as well as expose full identities of the officer together with his cousin leading the squad.

Other leaders who have faulted the State over the abductions that stating that number of those who have been abducted since June stands at 93.

Among them are ODM leader Raila Odinga, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Narc-Kenya's Martha Karua. 

Karua accused the State of sanctioning the abductions to silence critics. 

"I know it is security agencies command from the State House," she said, likening the happenings to the case of Ugandan opposition veteran Kizza Besigye who was abducted in the country and taken to Uganda. 

"There is no way a neighbouring military can come in, get somebody and move past the border with him without the authority from the highest office," she said on Friday.