Kenyan rights groups are sounding the alarm over a wave of abductions targeting activists involved in recent protests. The demonstrations, which began as a reaction to tax hikes, have grown into a nationwide movement challenging President William Ruto’s administration. Activists claim that the Kenyan intelligence services are behind these extrajudicial arrests.
Mounting Abductions
Bill Eugene Omollo, a 28-year-old activist, was abducted on June 20 while walking home in Nairobi. After participating in youth-led protests, he was released by police only to be kidnapped hours later. Omollo’s experience is not unique; human rights groups report dozens of similar cases over the past two weeks.
“People were running, but they took me,” Omollo told reporters. His abduction followed a pattern seen across Kenya. Rights groups like Amnesty International Kenya, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, and the Law Society of Kenya blame the intelligence services for these disappearances.
The protests initially called for the repeal of recent tax hikes. However, they have evolved into a significant challenge to Ruto’s two-year-old presidency, cutting across Kenya’s traditional ethnic lines. Despite Ruto’s withdrawal of the tax increases, the heavy-handed response to the protests has sparked fears of a return to repressive tactics.Â
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua addressed these concerns in a televised statement. “The president and I promised that abductions and extrajudicial killings would never happen again,” he said. “Sadly, this is back.”
However, police officials and Noordin Haji, the director of Kenya’s intelligence services, did not respond to requests for comment. President Ruto, in a recent interview, denied police involvement in the disappearances but defended the actions of security forces.Â
Irungu Houghton, executive director of Amnesty International Kenya, provided a grim assessment. “Protesters, organizers, and dissenting voices are being abducted from their homes or even while going to church,” he said.Â
Interrogations and Intimidation
Amnesty International and other groups report that more than 30 people have been abducted, although most were later released. Faith Odhiambo, president of the Law Society of Kenya, detailed the focus of these interrogations. “Victims are questioned about the protest movement’s financing, organization, and leadership,” she said. “This clearly indicates government involvement.”
Omollo recounted his ordeal after being blindfolded and driven to an unknown location. He was interrogated and threatened while sitting on a flooded concrete floor in his underwear. “They asked me, ‘Who sent you? Who is funding you?’ I told them no one is funding us,” he recalled. Omollo has not reported the incident to the police, fearing for his safety. “I thought I would be a dead man.”
Amnesty International has confirmed some instances of torture during these detentions. According to Odhiambo, the goal of these abductions appears to be intimidation. “Victims are afraid to be seen on social media or any public forums. Fear has been instilled,” she said.
After 24 hours, Omollo was released near a police station. He considers himself lucky. Some abduction victims remain unaccounted for, including 17-year-old Tony Mutia, who disappeared on June 25 while heading to a protest. His brother, Paul Mutia, has searched police stations, hospitals, and morgues without success. “My heart is full of sorrow. I have done all I can,” Paul said.
Despite the crackdown, activists vow to continue pressuring Ruto and lawmakers. However, Omollo, fearing for his safety, has left Nairobi. “I miss my home and my community,” he said. “I feel like a refugee in my own country.”
The situation in Kenya remains tense as rights groups and activists demand accountability and an end to these repressive tactics. The government’s response will likely determine the future of the protest movement and the state of human rights in the country.
Source: ReutersÂ
