Families continue to report disappearance of those abducted over anti-Finance Bill protests

Families are now accusing police officers of keeping their kin incommunicado after several cases of abductions were captured on CCTV footage around Nairobi during the demonstrations.

A now viral CCTV footage captured on Tuesday at around 9:55 am shows Daniel Kabusho Kaniu walking out of a restaurant along Kenyatta Road in Juja Kiambu County, in the company of an unknown individual.

In a matter of seconds, there seems to be an argument between the two, meanwhile, a parked Double Cabin car, silver in colour with registration number KDN 176Z starts moving towards the duo.

In CCTV footage retrieved from the restaurant, Daniel is seen struggling as two unknown men try to push him inside the waiting car.

When Daniel almost overpowers the two, another man is seen alighting from a white Double Cabin vehicle registration number KCZ 724A behind to help the two in abducting him. Before exiting the place after a full minute of struggle.

His family remains unaware of his whereabouts despite efforts to find him.

“Sisi kama familia hatuna clue yeyote juu yeye ni mwanabiashara wa kawaida kwanza tunashangaa mbona wanakaa na yeye karibu wiki mzima hawacommunicate hata bibi yake hawampigii simu hakuna mtu anamweleza anything tumetatafuta police stations hatumpati nashangaa sana nini inaendelea,” said Daniel’s Brother John Ranji.

The family of the 38-year-old father of three cannot understand the motive for the kidnapping. They say he is a businessman who sells clothes in Eastleigh alongside his wife and is not big on social media.

“Anybody wenye walikuwa hapo wangefaa hata wamuulize mbona wanamshika kwa nguvu mwanzo it is a democratic country na hakuna mtu ako juu ya sheria si ni kweli lakini sisi tunashangaa sana wakenya wananyamaza na mtu ameenda hadharani mchana gari zinamchukua hata si usiku,” added Ranji.

Daniel is one of several Kenyans abducted in the last few days, a move that has been condemned by the Law Society of Kenya and civil society groups.

Activist Gabriel Oguda who was abducted early Tuesday was on Wednesday released from Kajiado Police Station.

“It has been a chase, the normal chase of being taken from one police station to another without being disclosed and for this we want to notify the public that it is your right to be availed to counsel and to be told where you are being arrested,” Oguda's Lawyer Brenda Ongallo stated.

“It is unreasonable to arrest someone from Embakasi Nairobi and have his advocate trace him to Kajiado police station, it is unreasonable to keep capturing our brothers our sisters our mothers and releasing them in very strange circumstances,” James Ongamo, another lawyer noted.

LSK President Faith Odhiambo on her part stated, "The Interior CS, a senior advocate and professor of law last Wednesday, Jun 24, 2024, tried to curtail the rights of citizens to demonstrate and has remained silent on the abduction and torture of Kenyans held for days in incommunicado in the hands of the law enforcers we will hold you equally accountable.”

Several protestors were arrested in different parts of the country and some have since been released while others are expected to appear in court.

LSK is urging the Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome to release all those who are still being held in different parts of the country.