'A criminal act of the State,' Orengo says of Lichuma torture claims

Siaya Governor James Orengo. [Screen Grab]

Siaya Governor James Orengo has accused the government of indifference towards Kenyans, citing reported abductions and disappearances that followed last week's commemorations of the June 2024 Gen Z protests.

Speaking during an interview on KTN Prime on Monday, June 29, Orengo termed as a criminal act the case of activist Davis Lichuma, who went missing during the June 25 demonstrations marking the second anniversary of the 2024 protests.

"What happened to Lichuma is a criminal act of the State," he said.

Lichuma was found in critical condition at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) on Sunday before being moved to The Nairobi Women's Hospital for specialised treatment.

Rights groups including the Social Justice Centres Working Group said he showed signs of torture and was unable to speak when discovered.

Orengo also faulted President William Ruto over an earlier directive to police to shoot violent protesters in the leg, arguing the President has never withdrawn or expressed regret over the remarks.

"He ordered the police to shoot, but shoot in the leg, and he has never recalled or  regretted making such orders. That shows he is part of this criminal organisation," Orengo alleged.

He said development projects cannot define a country's progress if citizens lack justice, freedom and democracy.

"You can build railways, roads, monuments and hospitals, but human beings are born free. Do Kenyans feel they are living in a just and democratic society?" he posed.

The governor defended the June 25 commemorations, saying they honoured the more than 60 young people killed during the 2024 anti-government protests, nearly 20 of them from Siaya County.

He accused security agencies of frustrating the events by barricading major roads into Nairobi, blocking protesters from reaching Parliament Buildings to lay flowers.

"This was intimidation at its best. The purpose of the police was to provide protection," he said. "It was callous behavior. They should have escorted us regardless of our numbers."

Orengo insisted compensation alone is insufficient without justice and accountability.

His remarks come as the government rolls out reparations for protest victims through the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), with the Treasury setting aside Sh2 billion for the programme, which proposes a minimum payout of Sh2.5 million for each life lost.

"Justice and accountability should come before compensation," he said, noting that according to the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) only three of more than 60 cases are before the courts.

"They really don't care. It is as if they are saying if you challenge the State, you suffer the consequences," he added.

Orengo argued that those responsible for the killings are known, warning that without political will to enforce accountability, the cycle of violence and impunity will persist