“Abductions is a matter that I will deal with” – President Ruto.

President William Ruto has promised that action will be taken against police officers who are implicated in the abduction of Kenyans during anti-government protests. 

Ruto, who was speaking during his first X-Space conversation with the youth, stated that police have clear rules on how to arrest people if they need to take in suspects.

 “If anything is down outside the procedure, then it is illegal and punishable by law,” he stated.

The youth expressed doubts about the legality of the police’s manner of arresting suspects. 

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki denied reports that the government had abducted some Kenyans before, during, and after the anti-Finance Bill protests. 

Although some social media activists claimed they had been abducted by security forces and held incommunicado, Kindiki stated that these were arrests, not abductions.

“We do not condone abductions neither does the Constitution allow either abductions or enforced disappearances or even torture,” Kindiki said.

In his response, Ruto said police know how they are supposed to effect an arrest.

“When the police arrest someone, they must declare to the person they are officers and the reason they arresting the person. They must also take the suspect to a place that is known. Claims of abductions is a matter that I will take up and deal with it,” he promised.

Last week, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya leadership handed over a report on at least 39 missing persons from the anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

LSK, led by President Faith Odhiambo, lodged a formal report with the Director of Criminal Investigation, requesting an investigation into the alleged series of abductions.

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