Billy Mwangi (left) and Peter Muteti Njeru have been missing since December 21.
The abduction of young government critics has enraged Kenyans, even as authorities deny involvement. Pressure is piling on President William Ruto to end the abductions of the youth by masked men, usually in unmarked vehicles.
The Judiciary, clergy, Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga, Law Society of Kenya (LSK), former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, Wiper Party chief Kalonzo Musyoka, his Democratic Alliance Party of Kenya (DAP-K) colleague Eugene Wamalwa, Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah, former Makueni governor Kivutha Kibwana and thousands of Kenyans are among those who have condemned the abductions and disappearances.
The condemnation follows the abductions of cartoonist Gideon Kibet “Kibet Bull”, his brother Rony Kiplang’at, Mr Billy Mwangi, Mr Peter Muteti and Mr Bernard Kavuli.
Social media users offended by the new wave of abductions recirculated images they believed were seen by the authorities as offensive. They demand the immediate release of those taken.
Inspector-General of Police, Douglas Kanja, issued a statement saying security agents are not involved in the abductions, fuelling more anger.
Senator Omtatah called for the resignation of Mr Kanja and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Mohamed Amin.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the National Police Service is not involved in any abduction, and there is no police station that is holding the reported abductees,” Mr Kanja said.
“The matter in question is subject to investigations by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority. We appeal to anybody with relevant information about missing persons to report to the nearest police station.”
In their messages, Mr Kanja and Mr Amin did not say if the more than 70 individuals reported missing – eight of them taken in the last four days– have been arrested.
Investigations
Yesterday, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said its investigations had shown “these abductions are perpetuated clandestinely, with unidentified armed persons”.
“The commission notes that those abducted have been vocal dissidents, particularly on social platforms,” the taxpayer-funded agency said in a statement read by its chairperson Roselyne Odede.
The commission said it has recorded 13 more cases of abductions or enforced disappearances in the last three months, bringing to 82 the total cases from June.
“Seven of the recent abductions were reported in December, with six of them still missing, bringing to 29 the number of persons still missing since June 2024,” it said.
Ms Odede condemned the abductions and asked police to follow up on the leads presented.
“If these patterns of abductions continue, we shall be retrogressing to the dark days of our history,” she said.
The commission urged Mr Kanja to “let Kenyans know who is perpetuating the abductions and protect them, embark on investigations and arrests and ensure those taken are released.
The abductees are mostly drawn from the netizen population in the Gen Z age group opposed to the policies of the government and President Ruto.
Even as he denied police involvement, Mr Kanja sounded like he was explaining the reasons for the abductions.
“We call on online groupings and the larger public to refrain from spreading false, fabricated, malicious, distasteful, misinformed and unverified information aimed at tarnishing the reputation and image of the government,” he said.
The courts condemned the abductions on Thursday.
“The Judiciary has taken note of reports of resurfaced abductions. Kenya is a constitutional democracy, where the rule of law stands as a foundational value and guiding principle of governance. Abductions have no place in law and, indeed, are a direct threat to the rights of citizens,” the Judiciary said in a statement.
“We strongly urge security agencies and all connected entities to adhere to the law to safeguard fundamental rights and freedoms.”
In his Christmas message, Mr Odinga told the government to take measures to end kidnappings.
“Abduction of innocent Kenyans must end this year. It is strange and very primitive,” Mr Odinga said at Nyamira Church, Siaya County.
“We cannot live in a country where people disappear or are abducted and kept incommunicado. That indicates there is no government.”
The ODM leader highlighted the plight of families looking for their abducted loved ones.
“Families have been left in pain. Many parents have been crying after their children were abducted and have never heard from them,” he said.
He compared the cases to those of the Nyayo era during President Daniel arap Moi’s tenure.
“As opposed to the previous abductions witnessed in Kenya, where people were taken to Nyayo torture chambers – which was a government institution – people are being abducted and taken to places we have never heard of,” he said.
Executive order
Mr Gachagua urged President Ruto to issue an executive order that ends abductions.
“Mr President, you swore to defend the Constitution and be the overall custodian of Kenyans’ safety. It pains to hear your government say it is not abducting people yet evidence is all over. Issue a Christmas order that the abducted people lucky to be alive be freed,” Mr Gachagua said.
On June 26, Mr Gachagua – who was impeached as DP on October 17 – sensationally claimed that the National Intelligence Service was behind the abductions, adding that a son of the then-Attorney General had fallen victim.
Mr Musyoka said Kenyans need to know where the abducted citizens are.
“What kind of regime is this? Where are the abducted young people? These abductions must stop. Release the abductees to their families immediately,” the opposition leader said.
Mr Wamalwa called out Mr Kanja for denying that police officers were involved in the abductions.
“Denying police involvement is not enough. Mr Kanja should tell us who is abducting Kenyans if it is not the Police and what he is doing to end these abductions. If you can send 1,000 officers to Haiti to stop gangs from abducting and killing Haitians, why can’t you do the same at home?” the DAP-K leader asked.
Senator Omtatah, who met Mr Kibet hours before the abduction, said the police boss and Mr Amin should resign.
“Mr Amin and Mr Kanja should come clean on the abduction of Mr Kibet. We demand his unconditional release. They must also address the cases of Billy Mwangi, Peter Muteti and Bernard Kavuli, abducted under their watch with state complicity,” the Busia senator told reporters in Nairobi.
“Enforced disappearances are grave violations of the rule of law and have no place in modern Kenya.”
The lawmaker also expressed disbelief over the police's failure to act on the abductions, demanding to be informed why a vehicle had been seen outside his office for hours without intervention.
“Police cannot feign ignorance. If they are unaware of all these, why are they in office? In a serious country, the police commissioner would never make such a statement. He would resign instead,” the senator said.
“Security forces have the monopoly of ensuring our safety, and our security rests in their hands. The Constitution clearly outlines their mandate, leaving no room for excuses.”
Prof Kibwana, known for pro-reform fights during the single-party era, directly addressed President Ruto.
“Mr President, there was a time you were asked whether the Office of the First Daughter existed. Your response was; Let young Charlene enjoy her youth,” Prof Kibwana said on Christmas Day.
“These young people should also be allowed to enjoy their youth. Fighting social media is pouring petrol on fire.”
Mr Kibet was reportedly abducted with his brother Kiplang’at. The cartoonist, a student at Egerton University, is famed for influencing the spread of graphics that some interpret to be silhouettes of a top leader.
Kibet’s sister, Mercy Cherotich, said her brothers were picked up by hooded armed men who arrived in unmarked cars.
A 20-year-old woman named Naomi is also said to have been abducted in Ruaka, Kiambu County.
According to Naomi's family’s spokesperson, Kioria Gathogo, she was snatched by masked men and bundled in an unmarked car. Her social media accounts had been linked to the sharing of AI-generated images of some leaders in coffins.
On Christmas Day, Ms Flora Mutindi placed an appeal copied to the security agents and Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti regarding the abduction of her sibling, Steve Kavingo Mbisi.
“Ladies and gentlemen, help me find my small brother who was abducted from his house on Tuesday...in Mlolongo Kathangaita by two masked men. We don’t know his whereabouts. We have searched for him at police stations in vain,” she said.
On Thursday, Narc Kenya leader and former Justice Minister Martha Karua demanded that the government end the lawlessness that is a blot on the nation.
Guerrilla tactics
“This is a shame. The government is using guerrilla tactics in policing. So enthusiastic it has become to the point of kidnapping even foreigners on Kenyan soil and shipping them around as if they were parcels in transit. This is a government that has lost it,” Ms Karua said.
LSK President Faith Odhiambo demanded the immediate release of influencers abducted for reportedly criticising President Ruto.
Ms Odhiambo said the abductions are a violation of citizens’ rights, describing them as part of a growing trend of repressive tactics by authorities.
She urged the government to respect the sanctity of rights as enshrined in the Constitution.
“Arrested persons should be subjected to the due process as per our statutes. We cannot have shortcuts when it comes to the justice system,” Ms Odhiambo said.
Many Gen Z influencers are deactivating their social media platforms for fear of being abducted, disappeared or even killed.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino told the Daily Nation that the government is running a secret abduction unit.
“The entire government plus and its collaborators are aware of this but are too scared to speak out lest they too become victims of the terror squad,” the lawmaker said.
“The abduction squad is part of governance. Its work is to deal with government dissenters.”
Arrests
Mr Amin has refuted claims of the DCI being involved in the wave of abductions, asking Kenyans to distinguish between lawful arrests and the crime of kidnapping.
This comes as some leaders issue statements hinting at who could be behind the abductions, killings and enforced disappearances.
“We have heard some politicians saying they could have ordered the killing of 50,000 Gen Zs who were protesting against Finance Bill, 2024,” Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang’wa said yesterday.
“There is no crime in deducing conclusions from the available facts that the government knows what department in its control is involved with these abductions.”
In his Christmas message on Wednesday, Anglican Church of Kenya head Jackson ole Sapit urged President Ruto and the government not to take the country back to the days of ruthless crackdowns against real and imagined enemies.
“Abductions should not be accepted as a way to contain dissenting opinion. This is a country of fair justice provided for in the rule of law,” Archbishop Sapit said in Nairobi.
“Abductions should not be a way of life. That is a rule of darkness, not of the light.”
Mombasa Catholic head Martin Kivuva also criticised the government, equating it to an animal that eats its young ones.
“Whatever is happening is unacceptable. We cannot continue having a government that devours its children with the sole aim of instilling fear in Kenyans ahead of the 2027 General Election,” Archbishop Kivuva said in his Christmas message.
“We are in distress. As the church, we say these abductions are unwelcome. We want nothing to do with them.”
Nyandarua Senator John Methu told President Ruto to think of the grave nature of the abductions on the image of the country internationally.
“We cannot have it both ways. The government says it is not abducting Kenyans while CCTV footage shows the contrary,” the senator said.
Additional reporting by Mercy Simiyu, Kassim Adinasi, Brian Ocharo
