Kenya is witnessing a wave of abductions as police intensify their crackdown on activists and protesters opposing the contentious Finance Bill 2024.
The arrests have sparked outrage among citizens and human rights groups, with widespread condemnation of what is seen as a return to dark, oppressive tactics.
Gabriel Oguda, a prominent social commentator and critic of President William Ruto’s administration, was reportedly abducted from his home early Tuesday morning.
His brother, Zachary Oguda, confirmed the incident in a tweet at 2:53 a.m., stating,
“I can confirm that my brother has been taken by unknown gunmen from his house 5 minutes ago. Any tweets coming from Gabriel Oguda were already scheduled. HE ISN’T SAFE.”
Social media reports suggest that several other key figures, including popular X page administrators such as Franje, Drey Mwangi, and Osama Otero, were also detained. Otero’s last post, “Guys are outside where I am,” has gone viral, underscoring the alarming nature of the situation.
Ahead of the planned nationwide demonstrations against the Finance Bill, many activists have vanished under mysterious circumstances. These individuals have been critical of the proposed law, which has faced significant public backlash.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) condemned the abductions, asserting that they are a tactic to intimidate protesters and stifle dissent.
“The abductions, often occurring at night and carried out by police officers in plain clothes and unmarked vehicles, aim to intimidate protesters planning to participate in future peaceful demonstrations urging MPs to reject the bill,” KHRC stated.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has also denounced the actions, labeling them as a regression to a dark era of extrajudicial measures. LSK President Faith Odhiambo emphasized,
“Over the last 72 hrs, Kenya has been drawn back to the dark era of a rogue, irrational police force operating through repressive, retrogressive, clandestine, illegal, extra-judicial tactics to forcefully quell public dissent against misgivings of government, lapses in governance, and more specifically, the contentious Finance Bill 2024.”
In response to the mounting outrage, hashtags like #FreeOguda, #FreeOsama, and #RejectFinanceBill2024 have trended on social media, reflecting the public’s demand for justice and transparency. The #RejectFinanceBill2024 hashtag alone had amassed over 3.59 million posts by Tuesday morning, making it the most trending topic in East Africa.
ALSO READ;
