NAIROBI, Kenya- Human Rights Watch Africa has sounded the alarm on a shadowy security unit allegedly orchestrating a surge in abductions across the country.
In its 35th Edition of the World Report, the watchdog linked the wave of disappearances to the Operations Support Unit (OSU)—a covert force reportedly operating from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters in Nairobi.
‘How I was abducted in Nairobi,’ Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai recounts ordeal nation.africa/kenya/audio/-h…
The revelations have sparked fresh concerns over Kenya’s rule of law, human rights violations, and state-backed disappearances, raising serious questions about the administration’s commitment to justice.
According to Human Rights Watch Africa Director Otsieno Namwaya, the OSU is nothing more than a rebranded version of the now-defunct Special Squad Unit (SSU), which was disbanded in 2022 under President William Ruto’s directive.
But while SSU may have been shut down, activists argue its replacement is just as ruthless.
“Ruto disbanded the SSU, but he re-established a similar unit within the DCI—the Operations Support Unit (OSU), and it has since taken over its operations,” Namwaya stated.
The group’s latest findings reveal 83 Kenyans have been abducted in recent months, with at least 26 still unaccounted for. This chilling statistic has amplified fears that Kenya’s security forces are operating outside the law, unchecked and unchallenged.
Kenya has long positioned itself as a safe refuge for political dissidents and asylum seekers, but recent abductions suggest otherwise.
Human Rights Watch pointed to the case of Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi, whose abduction attempt was foiled only because she managed to alert the public in time.
“The fact that Maria was able to get information out quickly about the abduction attempt was critical,” said Mausi Segun, a senior member of the group.
Africa, has Nairobi become the headquarters of abductions? Ms Maria Tsehai an independent media editor and human rights defender was abducted by three armed men in a black Toyota Noah from the Chaka Place in #Kilimani. Public transport vehicles and wellwishers tried to block…
But Sarungi isn’t the only high-profile case. Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye was allegedly abducted in Nairobi in November 2024 and later transferred to a Ugandan military court under murky circumstances.
Meanwhile, in another troubling case, four Turkish nationals were forcefully deported after being arrested in Kenya late last year.
Activists warn that Kenya’s reputation as a safe haven is crumbling, with cross-border collaboration raising ethical and legal red flags.
These revelations not only undermine public trust but could also impact Kenya’s standing on the global stage.
