Wajir MCA Yussuf Ahmed missing
Missing Wajir MCA Yussuf Ahmed.
Members of Wajir County Assembly (MCAs) want security agencies to find their colleague Yussuf Hussein Abdi who has been missing since Friday night.
Mr Abdi, the Della ward rep and House minority whip, was reportedly abducted on Friday, September 13, night while driving in a taxi on Enterprise Road in Nairobi.
“We are perturbed by the incident of the abduction of Honorable Yussuf Hussein Ahmed by unknown assailants,” Mr Abdille Yusuf, the Wajir assembly speaker said on Sunday, September 15.
Reports indicate Mr Abdi was abducted at 9 pm by unknown persons who alighted from two black Land Cruiser Prado vehicles.
“Since then, his whereabouts are unknown to his family, friends, fellow MCAs and his constituents,” he said.
According to Wajir MCAs, the reasons behind Mr Abdi’s abduction remain a mystery.
“We are not privy to any ongoing investigations or statements recorded by the missing member or any criminal offence committed by him,” the speaker said.
“Given the status of Mr Yussuf, if there is any offence he committed, the authorities would have allowed him to record a statement or even arrested him in a dignified and humane manner rather than abduction at night which causes apprehension to his family, friends and the people he represents.”
The MCAs argued that abduction was a gross violation of the MCA’s rights and amounts to enforced disappearance as prohibited under Article 29 of the Constitution of Kenya.
“Such actions negate the provision of Article 29 and international laws, which guarantee freedom and security of a person, and is a setback to the gains made under the Constitution and reforms made in the National Police Service,” he said.
Responding to the Nation. Africa enquiry on the same, Makadara Sub-County Police Commander Judith Nyongesa on Sunday denied the involvement of the security agencies in the incident.
She said the matter was reported by a taxi driver, and that details were still scanty.
"A taxi driver reported an incident to us, but no one else has come forward to give more details so that we can carry out a proper investigation," she said in a phone interview.
According to the police boss, the taxi driver reported that he was blocked by a black Toyota Prado on Enterprise Road as he drove towards South C estate.
"He said his passenger was pulled out and bundled into the Prado, which sped off. He did not give us the registration number of the said Toyota Prado," Ms Nyongesa said.
On Saturday, the taxi driver returned to Makadara Police Station where he handed over a mobile phone to the officers.
"We have a mobile phone brought by the same taxi driver and we will know the owner after analysis," said the police boss.
She added: "We appeal to anyone with any information to come forward so that we can investigate the matter.
Wajir MCAs called for speedy investigations into the incident.
"If those involved are not security personnel, then it is important that the police conduct a thorough and urgent investigation into the abduction and rescue him from the clutches of his abductors. We are confident that the security apparatus is capable of investigating and tracing his whereabouts," read a statement from the legislators.
"As leaders from Wajir, we are alarmed by the recent spate of abductions, enforced disappearances and killings of Kenyans," they added.
Abductions and enforced disappearances have continued to date despite assurances by President William Ruto that he would not tolerate such crimes in his administration.
Dozens of Kenyans are still missing after being abducted by alleged police in the wake of anti-government protests in July.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) confirmed in mid-July that it had received 10 complaints of abductions, but regretted that it had been unable to reach a majority of the complainants.
Recent cases include two brothers and a human rights activist who have been missing for almost a month since being abducted in Kitengela and Mlolongo respectively.
