29 people still missing from abductions since June 2024 - KNCHR

In a statement on Thursday, KNCHR said that it has observed that these abductions are "perpetuated clandestinely, with unidentified armed persons". 

It added that the commission also noted that those abducted have been vocal objectors on social media.

So far, KNCHR says, there are thirteen more cases of abductions or enforced disappearances in the last three months bringing to 82 the total cases since June 2024. 

"Seven of the recent abduction cases were reported in the month of December 2024 with six of them still missing, bringing to twenty-nine the total number of persons still missing since June 2024," he said.

The Commission maintained that the abductions fall outside the dictates of the Constitution and should be addressed expeditiously.

"The Commission warns that if these patterns of abductions continue, then we shall be rapidly retrogressing back to the dark days of our history when such attacks were primarily to inflict fear on any person critical of the Government," he said.

KNCHR also disputed a statement issued by the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja on December 26 that police officers are not responsible for the ensuing abductions. 

The Commission said that the police service should remain diligent in executing their mandate of protecting citizens, adding that arrests should be made given that these abductions are happening in broad daylight, with some of them being captured on CCTV.

Seven people have been abducted in December among them Steve Kavingo Mbisi, Billy Wanyiri Mwangi, Peter Muteti, Bernard Kavuli, Naomi, Rony Kiplang’at and Gideon Kibet alias Kibet Bull.

Meanwhile, the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) has said it has dispatched teams to investigate whether police officers are involved in the abductions. 

“Where fault is found, the Authority shall make recommendations for prosecution, internal disciplinary action or any other appropriate relief, and shall make public the responses received to these recommendations,” said IPOA.