The abduction in Kenya is causing fear of returning to the dark past

The disappearance reports of more than 80 government critics over the last six months have caused a huge public reaction in Kenya.

The judge warned that on Monday he would put in prison the highest security officials for disrespectful court if they did not appear for the third time for the recent series of alleged abductions.

The case is due to the disappearances documented by the National Kenya Human Rights Commission after nationwide protests against tax raising began in June last year.

At least 24 are reported missing.

Police and the government deny the abduction and unlawful detention of protesters, but the country has a history of abductions funded by the state, and some Kenyans fear that they are returning to that dark past.

Mohammed Amen, General of the Police Inspector Douglas Kond, and the director of the criminal investigation department, were ordered to submit to the court seven influential persons from social networks that disappeared in December.

Five suddenly appeared in early January in different places across the country.

Mr. Konde’s lawyers asked the court more time to record their statements and draw up a report.

Billy Mwangs – one of five. A 24-year-old young man landed him alleged abdura in 75 km (46 miles) from his hometown in Emb, in Central Kenya, in a clear act of intimidation.

Father Billy, Gerald Mvani Karic, told the BBC that his son was injured.

“The boy shared little,” he said. “All I can say is what when he came, he was not as usual. He looked shocked. “

Billy, a college student who actively criticized the government on social media, Due to December 21, 2024 in the hairdressing in Emb.

According to eyewitnesses, the men in the hood arrived at the Toyota Fielder and a pickle with a double cabin, put him in one of the cars and carried it.

A few hours later, the worst fears of his family began to be revealed.

“Most weekend we watch football together. His club is “Chelsea”, mine – “Arsenal”, – said Gerald.

He called Billy to discuss the football match in the evening of his disappearance, but found that his son’s phone was off.

Later, the barber shop reported to him about the abduction, which caused crazy searches.

The mother beat the consciousness when she heard the news, and the following weeks were excruciating to the family.

As soon as beaten was found, he was taken to the hospital for a planned examination. His family says he is still recovering after the injury, but his release brought them some relief.

Like many of those who appeared again after the alleged abductions, they talked little about their trials, perhaps out of fear.

Jamil and Asla Longton were also silent after being released in September in September.

The brothers were warned, says Jamil that they would be killed when they go to the media.

Three months later, the government official publicly called their case a legal arrest.

The siblings perceived this as a confirmation that the state institution was responsible for the fact that they survived and found the courage to say.

“The Constitution of Kenya is very clear,” Jamil says. “Within 24 hours, you should be arrested and taken to court. We had 32 days. We were nowhere to be given a lawyer who would represent us.

“We were not allowed to meet with our family and communicate with the family. So it’s not an arrest, it’s a kidnapping. “

The brothers told the BBC that the donkey helped to organize protests against raising taxes in the city of Kittengela near Nairobi’s capital, and was warned by security officers to cease his activity.

One day in August, two of them, wearing hoods and handcuffs, dragged them into the car near the house and took it in an unknown place where they were kept in small dark chambers.

Asles says he was regularly beaten, his abuser demanded to know who financed the protests.

“I was very scary,” he says. “When the door opened, the man approached with a furched cable and a metal core.

“I was afraid he came to beat me or finished – there were only two options – knocking me down or killing.”

Jamil describes its abductors as people with heavy weapons capable of tracking their mobile phones and confident enough to pick them up in broad daylight, acting with the level of resources and the degree of flexibility, which human rights groups reported in many cases.

But this does not mean that they are official security operatives, says Government spokesman Isaac Mwaura, denying the state behind the abductions.

“Organized security can also be part of an organized crime,” he said the BBC.

“It can also be for political reasons … Our political detractors really criticize this issue. They are only working with this to make political accounts. “

Mr. Mvaura refused to comment Case of the Minister of Government Justin MurryOne of the most hurtful accusations in the Kenya security agencies.

Murly says his son was detained by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and released only after he addressed President William Ruta.

“This is a matter of investigation because it is his side of history,” said Mr. Mvaura. “But what is the counter -horticulture of the National Intelligence Service?

“I would rather say that the President of the Republic of Kenya, who is the head of the government, did not authorize any forms of abduction because he is a person who believes in the rule of law.”

In fact, Ruto publicly promised to stop the abductions, forced to respond to public indignation and concern of Western allies.

Many are upset by the fact that the obvious systematic disappearance of anti-government activists again emerged, remembering similar methods under the authoritarian leadership of Daniel Moi in the 1980s and 1990s.

Imanyar’s pet, a journalist and activist who campaigned for multiparty in the early 1990s, was arrested and beaten by my regime. He has no doubt that now he sees “Moi Playbook” in action.

But, he says, times have changed. The amendments to the Constitution established more mechanisms of accountability, and “there is a larger segment of Kenyan society that will not be scared.”

“The democratic space has expanded so much that the government cannot abandon the democratic votes,” he said to the BBC.

In addition, with the help of social networks, “the word spreads almost instantly,” he said.

“We cannot be censored, as in the time when we could only use landline phones.”

Messages of disappearances in recent weeks have become smaller.

But despite the announcement of the start of the investigation, no one was accused of, and even more were convicted of their conduct.

Several human rights groups appealed to the Prosecutor General to submit cases to the International Criminal Court (ISS).

As for the families of those who are still missing, the nightmare continues.

“We are in such a depression, in such a destruction,” says Stacey Mutua, Sister Steve Mbi, one of the seven disappeared in December.

“We hope they release it. (Most) stolen were released, but he is still reported missing. We pray to be found. “