Following a recent wave of disappearances that have drawn criticism from lawmakers, solicitors, and rights organizations, Kenyan President William Ruto has pledged to put an end to kidnappings.
Activists have questioned why police don’t seem to be looking into the disappearances, despite police denying any participation.
Since June and July’s youth-led anti-government protests, security personnel in the East African country have been accused of carrying out scores of unauthorized detentions.
Rights’ groups have called for action and rejected police claims of non-involvement in the recent disappearances, which have mostly involved young men who have denounced Ruto online.
Speaking to a crowd on Friday in the western Kenyan town of Homa Bay, Ruto urged parents to “take responsibility” for their children while simultaneously promising a stop to the kidnappings.
According to accounts in the local media, he declared, “We are going to stop the abductions so that our youth can live peacefully.”
In his yearly state of the nation address in November, Ruto had discussed the matter and denounced “any excessive or extrajudicial” action.
However, he said that a large number of the arrests were lawful detentions of “criminals and subversive elements.”
With the most recent kidnappings igniting small-scale protests in at least one town, the nation’s anger has only grown.
Activists have questioned why police do not seem to be looking into the disappearances, despite police denying any participation.
“If indeed the police are not complicit,” the Law Society of Kenya said, they must immediately “investigate and prosecute those responsible.”
Human Rights Watch said earlier this year that its research pointed towards a unit drawn from multiple security agencies.
Ruto’s remarks follow recent comments by former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, who alleged a secret unit was behind the disappearances.
“Abducting these children and killing them is not a solution… This is the first administration in the history of this country to target children for repression,” Gachagua claimed.
