NAIROBI, Kenya- Kenya’s festive season took a grim turn this year as rampant cases of abductions overshadowed Christmas cheer, leaving families in anguish and raising questions about the role of security agencies.
The Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, has categorically denied the involvement of the National Police Service in the mysterious disappearances.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the National Police Service is not involved in any abductions, and no police station in the country is holding the reported abductees,” Kanja said in a statement.
He urged the public to avoid spreading what he termed “false, fabricated, malicious, and unverified information aimed at tarnishing the service’s reputation and image.”
Despite these reassurances, a shadow of doubt looms large.
Observers argue that Kanja’s repeated denials hint at deeper, unresolved issues within the police service—or worse, the involvement of other members of the country’s security apparatus.
“If the police are truly uninvolved, why have they not intervened to stop the ongoing abductions? Why does the Inspector General appear powerless?” posed a source familiar with the turmoil within the ranks.
“If he’s not in charge, the honorable thing to do is resign.”
Disturbing accounts from victims who have survived the abductions paint a chilling picture.
Many report being tortured, held in undisclosed locations, and abandoned miles away from where they were initially taken—often in the dead of night.
Legal experts and political figures are raising alarms.
Former Law Society of Kenya President Nelson Havi took to X, stating, “The state is mandated by the Constitution to guarantee the safety of all citizens. If someone disappears, the state is either responsible or must trace the abductee and bring the perpetrators to justice. It is that simple.”
Yet the abductions persist. Young men, particularly those who have posted critical content about President William Ruto’s government online, are at the center of this storm.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has labeled the incidents “primitive,” calling on the government to act decisively.
“This is unacceptable,” Odinga said. “A nation where people are abducted and held incommunicado is a nation in disarray. Many parents are crying. The government must end this immediately. Gone are the days when people were taken to Nyayo House; now they’re being hidden in unknown places. This must stop.”
With public trust in the police service eroding, sources suggest a major shakeup is on the horizon.
A new leadership team, ‘committed’ to respecting human rights, is reportedly in the pipeline as President Ruto faces mounting pressure to fulfill his campaign pledge to end enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
