Journalist Macharia Gaitho released, police say arrest a case of mistaken identity

The National Police Service (NPS) says the arrest of the journalist and newspaper columnist on Wednesday morning was a case of mistaken identity.

Gaitho was captured at the Karen Police Station in Nairobi and forced into a car by men who introduced themselves as Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers but refused to identify themselves, according to the journalist’s daughter Anita Gaitho.

“This is the car that abducted him. Look at that foolish driver wanting to knock us down when leaving. These fu***** criminals. They claim to be DCI, they had guns and handcuffs and refused to identify themselves,” Ms Gaitho said in a post on X.

She shared videos of a white Toyota Probox speeding out of the police station and another Subaru Forester which she said police used to block the car her family was driving.

In a post on X, the National Police Service said they meant to arrest one Francis Gaitho.

“This morning, we arrested journalist Macharia Gaitho in a case of mistaken identity, meant for the arrest of Francis Gaitho who is our subject of investigation,” read the post.

“We reiterate that as a Service, we do not target journalists in any way, and today's incident is highly regrettable.”

According to the journalist’s family, police handcuffed him, bundled him into their car and drove away from Karen Police Station, onto Lang’ata Road.

“They were punching and slapping him, saying he was resisting arrest. [They] still hadn’t identified themselves but said “Can’t you see we’re armed and had a Subaru”,” Ms Gaitho said in a subsequent post on X.

The police have in recent weeks been criticised for using excessive force against Kenyans in the wake of nationwide anti-government protests.

Top of the issues is the opening of fire on unarmed Kenyans, forceful arrests and orchestrating the abduction of vocal personalities in the demonstrations in what is seen as suppression of dissent against President William Ruto’s administration.

On Tuesday, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) placed the number of those killed since the onset of the protests last month at 50, with 59 people having reportedly been abducted by the police and reported missing.

"The number of those arbitrarily arrested is at 682. We condemn the abductions and arrests and demand an immediate and unconditional release of all the illegally detained persons in relation to the protests," KNCHR chairperson Roseline Odede told a press conference.

The youth-led protests initially began last month over the Finance Bill, 2024, which sought to increase taxation, but while Ruto has since dropped the contentious draft bill, dissolved his Cabinet and pledged austerity by his government as he works towards an inclusive leadership, a large number of Kenyans still want him “to go”.

On social media and in the streets, Kenyans have been chanting “Ruto must go”, calling for continued protests until the President yields and resigns.

Last week, Japhet Koome resigned as the Inspector General of Police after intense criticism over his officers' conduct in the demos.