Activist Mulinge Muteti still missing after alleged abduction during Besigye protest

The family of activist Mulinge Muteti is demanding his release, two days after he went missing during a protest calling for the release of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye.

Muteti was allegedly abducted by people believed to be security officers after he left the group to go to a cybercafe to print a petition they planned to present to police and other government offices.

In the company of activists, the family reported his disappearance at the Central Police Station and appealed for help in tracing his whereabouts.

Carrying posters bearing photos of Mulinge Muteti and details of his alleged abduction, family members and human rights defenders emerged from the Central Police Station.

They had gone to report his disappearance and seek police assistance in tracing him, after more than 48 hours without any word from him.

"Tumemtafuta kwa police stations, tumepita Pangani Police Station, tumeenda Kamukunji Police Station, saa hizi tukafika hapa Central, bado pia tumekuwa KICC, hakuna mahali anapatikana saa hizi," Muteti's brother Alex Ndambuki stated.

Before his disappearance on Monday, Muteti, a member of the Paza Sauti Movement, was in Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD), where the group was planning to stage protests demanding the release of Kizza Besigye.

He excused himself to go and print their petition and statement, but never returned.

"Nikajaribu kumpigia Mulinge, hachukui simu. Dakika ya mwisho kuongea ilikuwa 10:43. Kidogo kidogo, at exactly 11:57, Mulinge akaniambia nimeshikwa. Alinitext, nikajaribu kumpigia saa hiyo, simu yake nikapata imefungwa," activist Sayialel Mankuyio said.

"We strongly believe that Mulinge Muteti was abducted by the Kenyan police. We have spoken to one of our police insiders, and they have told us they know something about Mulinge Muteti," Fredrick Ojiro, rapid response officer at the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), said.

Terming his alleged abduction another case of enforced disappearance in the country, activists have vowed to take to the streets to demand his release.

They also say they will seek legal intervention over his whereabouts.

"We are seeing a trend where vocal human rights defenders are being silenced through abduction, illegal detention and enforced disappearance. We are urging the government of the day to protect the rights of human rights defenders. We are going to file a habeas corpus case at Milimani Law Courts tomorrow," Ojiro stated. 

The family is now appealing to police to review CCTV footage from across Nairobi's CBD and track Muteti's phone to establish his whereabouts.