NAIROBI, Kenya- What was supposed to be a solemn event turned into a heated political battleground on Friday, as accusations of state-sponsored abductions overshadowed the burial of National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula’s mother, Mama Anna Nanyama Wetang’ula.
The funeral, attended by high-ranking government officials, quickly spiraled into a war of words between National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah and Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya.
Governor Natembeya didn’t hold back, challenging President William Ruto’s administration to come clean about the wave of disappearances allegedly targeting government critics.
“Our children are getting lost, being abducted, and even killed. This is not the way to handle dissent,” Natembeya declared, accusing the Kenya Kwanza government of failing to tolerate opposing voices.
He dismissed recent claims by Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli, who controversially suggested that some of the missing individuals had “kidnapped themselves.”
Natembeya instead urged the government to stop the abductions, warning that Kenya is big enough for everyone to express their opinions freely.
For weeks, reports of missing individuals—many of whom had been vocal critics of the government on social media—have dominated headlines. Similar cases in the past have raised concerns over the safety of government dissenters.
Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah wasted no time in refuting Natembeya’s claims. He dismissed allegations that President Ruto’s government was behind the disappearances, calling them “propaganda.”
Instead, Ichung’wah accused Natembeya of playing politics and shifting blame.
“If you know who is behind these abductions, then as a former regional commissioner, you should report them to the authorities,” Ichung’wah said.
He further suggested that some so-called victims had staged their own disappearances for political gain.
Citing the case of online blogger Francis Gaitho, Ichung’wah claimed Gaitho “abducted himself” only to resurface when a warrant of arrest was issued against him.
In a surprising twist, Ichung’wah turned the tables on Natembeya, alleging that the governor had been involved in enforced disappearances during his tenure as Rift Valley Regional Commissioner.
He referenced the infamous Yala River killings, where dozens of bodies were recovered during the previous administration, insinuating that Natembeya had been complicit.
“You were a regional commissioner when people were abducted and their bodies dumped in Yala River. Where was your outrage then?” Ichung’wah fired back.
He didn’t stop there. In an explosive claim, Ichung’wah accused former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua of orchestrating the recent kidnappings to create the perception that Ruto’s administration is cracking down on dissent.
“We see what you’re doing in broad daylight, and we will call you out!” he declared.
The accusations and counter-accusations over alleged abductions reflect the larger battle for control of the national narrative.
