Police are actively searching for those responsible for the abduction of 29 individuals across Kenya since the Gen Z protests, according to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja.
In a meeting with MPs on Wednesday, Kanja revealed that 57 people have been abducted or kidnapped since the nationwide anti-government protests. He explained that 22 victims have been found alive, six were discovered murdered, and 29 remain missing, still in the custody of their abductors.
However, Kanja was quick to distance the police from the abductions and kidnappings that followed the youth-led demonstrations. “Police do not abduct or kidnap people. We conduct arrests and ensure suspects are held in lawful custody,” he told the MPs.
Kanja also addressed the controversy surrounding the arrests of public figures such as Morara Kebaso, Jimi Wanjigi, and Macharia Gaitho, which had been sensationalized as abductions or kidnappings. He clarified that the majority of those arrested, including many youths, were released by the courts, and cases involving others are still pending.
The police chief further informed lawmakers that more police officers were injured than protesters during the demonstrations. He stated that 495 police officers were injured, compared to 347 civilians, meaning 48 more officers were hurt than the demonstrators during the month-long protests, which peaked with the invasion of Parliament on June 25.
Kanja also told the National Assembly’s Committee on Administration and National Security that 1,552 protesters had been arrested, with additional individuals captured on camera committing offenses that are being investigated.
Accompanied by Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat and Deputy Director of Criminal Investigations John Onyango, Kanja shared that 42 deaths had been recorded during the protests.
Addressing the issue of kidnappings and abductions, Kanja confirmed that 57 such cases have been reported nationwide since June. He was appearing before the committee, chaired by Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo, to provide details on the ongoing investigations.
Regarding the Eastleigh murders, Onyango identified the suspect as 24-year-old Hashim Dagane Muhumed, of Ethiopian descent. The suspect, who reportedly obtained a Kenyan ID through fraudulent means, is accused of killing one of his three wives in Ethiopia before crossing into Kenya. He is also linked to the murder of a woman whose mutilated body was found at Lang’ata Cemetery. Onyango confirmed that the suspect does not speak Swahili.
Onyango also provided an update on the murder of former Wells Fargo HR manager Willis Ayieko, whose body was discovered on October 23 at Mungowere stream in Yala, Siaya County. Onyango clarified that the crime was a robbery, not foul play, and the investigation is progressing. A Kisumu boda boda rider, who had transported the three main suspects from Kisumu to Gem, provided crucial information. The rider’s testimony, supported by CCTV footage, confirmed that the suspects had used ATMs and M-Pesa to withdraw money, confirming the crime was motivated by robbery.
