Kenya's kidnapping raises concerns about returning to the dark past

Barbara Plates Ochar, Mourin Newouri, David and Ovia

BBC News, Nairobi

Billy Mwanji, who was seen here with his mother after his release, was conservative about his kidnapping

Gerald Carisha Billy Mwanji suffers a little when his mother accepted him after his release after his kidnapping — Billy Mwanji, who was seen here with his mother after his release, was conservative about his kidnapping

The reported disappearance of more than 80 government critics over the past six months has caused a major violent reaction in Kenya.

The judge warned that he will imprison high security officials for the court's contempt on Monday if they fail to appear for the third time to calculate a recent series of alleged kidnappings.

The case is related to the disappearance documented by the National Human Rights Committee in Kenya since the protests began at the country level against the proposed tax increases last June.

It is said at least 24 still missing.

Police and the government deny the kidnapping and detention illegally, but the country has a history of the state -sponsored kidnappings, and some Kenyans fear their return to this dark past.

The Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanga, and the Directorate of Criminal Investigation Director, Mohamed Amin, was ordered to produce seven influencers on social media who disappeared in December.

Five appeared again in early January in different locations throughout the country.

Mr. Kanja's lawyers asked the court more time to register data from them and submit a report.

Billy Mwanji is one of the five. The 24 -year -old was dropped by his alleged mixing 75 km (46 miles) from his hometown of Embu, in central Kenya, in a clear intimidation act.

Billy's father, Gerald Mwanji Carisha, told the BBC that his son was shocked.

“The boy did not share much,” he said. “All I can say is that when he came, he was not the usual. He seemed to be shocking.”

Billy, a university student who was a audio critic of the government on social media, He disappeared on December 21, 2024 while he was in an EmbU.

According to the witnesses, convincing men reached a player in Toyota and a double cabin sector, assembling it in one of the vehicles and leaked.

Within hours, the worst concern of his family began to reveal.

“Most of the weekends, we are watching football together. His club is Chelsea; Lee Arsenal,” Gerald said.

Billy called for a football match in his disappearance, only to find his son's phone.

The hairdressing store owner later informed him of the kidnapping, which led to a feverish research.

Billy's mother collapsed when I heard the news and weeks that followed were painful to the family.

Once it was found, Pelly was taken to the hospital for a routine examination. His family says he is still recovering from shock, but his release brought them a degree of relief.

Like many who reappeared after an alleged kidnapping, Pelly said little of his ordeal, and perhaps fear.

Longton – Aslam (L) and Jel (R) – was held for 32 days. Aslam BBC told him that he was beaten regularly by his kidnappers

Islam Longton in a blue shirt, Longton generation and a white shirt with a point pattern talking while they stopped on an earthen road in the town of Keitinilla. A silver car can be seen behind. — Longton – Aslam (L) and Jel (R) – was held for 32 days. Aslam BBC told him that he was beaten regularly by his kidnappers

Jamel and Islam Longton also kept calm after their release in September 32 days in captivity.

Jamil says that the brothers have been warned that they would be killed if they went to the media.

Three months later, a government official publicly referred to his case as legal detention.

The siblings took this as an emphasis that a government agency was responsible for what they went through and found the courage to speak publicly.

“The Kenya constitution is very clear,” says generation. “You must be arrested and transferred to the court within 24 hours. We had 32 days. We have never given us a lawyer to represent us anywhere.

“We were not allowed to see our family or communicate with our family. So this is not an arrest, this is a kidnapping.”

Brotherhood informed BBC that Asol helped organize protests against the tax height in the town of Keteenella near the capital, Nairobi, and was warned by security agents to stop his activity.

One day in August, the two were pulled into a car next to their house, convincing and handcuffed, and they were transferred to an unknown location where they were held in small dark cells.

Aslam says he was beaten regularly, and demands his torment to know who finances the protests.

“I was very afraid,” he says. “When the door was opened, the man will come with a cable of fiber and a metal rod.

“I was afraid that he came to strike me or ended me – there was only two options to strike me or to kill me.”

Jameel describes their kidnappers as armed with weapons, who are able to track their mobile phones and confidence enough to receive them in broad daylight, and they work at a level of resources and the degree of flexibility that human rights groups have reported in many cases.

Government spokesman, Isaac Mora, says this does not mean that they are official security agents.

“Organized security may also be part of the organized crime,” he told the BBC.

“This may also be for political reasons … Our political critics have already resided on this issue. They are actually running with them just to settle political grades.”

Mr. Mora refused to comment on The case of the Minister of Government, Justin MotoriOne of the most damned accusations of security agencies in Kenya.

Motori says that his son was captured by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and was released only after he made a direct appeal to President William Roto.

“This is the issue of an investigation, because this is his side of the story,” said Mr. Mora. But what is the anti -national intelligence service?

“I would categorically say that the President of the Republic of Kenya, the prime minister, has not been punished for any forms of kidnapping at all, because he is a man who believes in the rule of law.”

In fact, Roto publicly promised to stop the kidnappings, forced to respond to general anger, and anxiety from Western allies.

Many people feel sorrow that the systematic disappearance apparently for anti -government activists has returned to appearing in this way, noting similar methods in light of the authoritarian leadership of Daniel Arab Moy in the 1980s and 1990s.

General anger increases around the kidnapping of government critics

Reuters is a group of Kenyan demonstrators with highly handwritten yellow stickers calling for the release of the people who were kidnapped. Many bearded young man in the blue collar shirt and a woman wearing a decorative brown dress, necklace, blue and white headscarf and sunglasses on her forehead in the close-up-her fist has lifted. — General anger increases around the kidnapping of government critics

Gitobu Imaniara, journalist and activist who carried out a campaign for multi -party policy in the early 1990s, was arrested, and hit by the Moi system. He has no doubt that he sees “PlayBook Moi” at work now.

But, he says, the times have changed. Constitutional amendments have created more accountability mechanisms and “there is a larger segment of Kenyan society that will not be intimidated.”

“The democratic area has expanded much that the government cannot wish to get rid of the democratic voices of the opposition,” he told the BBC.

In addition to social media, “the word is almost immediately spread.”

“We cannot monitor the way we are used to control in those days when we can only use earthly lines.”

Reports of disappearance have turned in recent weeks.

But despite the announcement of the police investigations, no one was charged with anyone, not to mention its condemnation, for its implementation.

Several invitation groups submitted a petition for the public lawyer to refer the kidnapping cases to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

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

“We are very depressed, very destroyed,” says Steve Mabsi's sister, Steve Mabsi, one of the seven who disappeared in December.

“We hope to release him. (Most of them) The kidnappers were released, but it is still missing. We pray that it will be found.”