President William Ruto on Thursday, November 7, 2024, held a phone conversation with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss various issues affecting Kenya and other regions.
In a statement, Secretary Blinken’s spokesperson Matthew Miller said that the Secretary Blinken raised concerns over the rise of the ongoing cases of abductions in Kenya while reiterating the need to protect the voices of Kenyan youth and civil society by engaging them following the anti-government demonstrations experienced between June and August.
Miller further said that the Secretary of State urged President Ruto to ensure the security forces in the country are held accountable for their involvement in violence during the protests.
This as Blinken reaffirmed the strong and lasting relationship between the peoples of Kenya and the US where he reiterated the commitment by his country to supporting Kenya’s inclusive and democratic future.
“The Secretary also reiterated the need for continued engagement with the Kenyan public, youth, and civil society following the June-August protests and underscored the importance of full accountability for security forces reportedly involved in protest violence and ongoing abductions,” the statement reads.
Secretary Blinken at the same time thanked Ruto for Kenya’s continued leadership of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission to Haiti, as it works with the Haiti National Police to restore peace and security to the Haitian people.
Blinken Talks with Ruto
Still on matters security, Secretary Blinken and the President talked about the Tumaini Peace Initiative where the former emphasized that South Sudanese leaders must fully take advantage of the discussions happening in Nairobi to create a sustainable peace in South Sudan.
“On Sudan, they discussed coordinating efforts to press for expanded humanitarian access, stop the fighting, and establish a process to restore civilian governance,” added Matthew Miller.
Also Read: Why Kenyan Police Officers Could Stay in Haiti for a Year
President Ruto on his part said that the two leaders discussed the transition of the MSS mission into a United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operation to enhance the capability of the mission to help stabilize Haiti.
The head of state further maintained that Kenya and the United States are continuously working together to enhance their collaboration to ensure improved governance.
According to him, this includes the fight against corruption and provision of capacity building to make Kenya’s security institutions more efficient, effective and accountable in the discharge of their mandate.
Ruto at the same time said that he had a discussion with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the situation in South Sudan, Sudan and Somalia following his visit to South Sudan and Ethiopia.
“Kenya is working closely with the United Nations to restore peace and security in our region. We are working on a post-African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) strategy to support our neighbor on her journey to peace and stability,” said Ruto.
Also Read: UK & Other World Powers Mount Pressure on Ruto Over Abductions & Disappearances
Police IG denies involvement of officers in abductions
The concerns raised by Blinken over the ongoing cases of abductions in the country came after the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja denied assertions that the National Police Service (NPS) is involved in increased kidnapping and abduction cases witnessed since June this year.
In recent months, the country had reported a worrying surge in abductions, with many linking the rise to the aftermath of widespread protests led by GenZ.
IG Kanja while appearing before the National Assembly Committee on National Administration and Internal Security on November 7 defended the NPS saying none of the security officers are involved in the 59 cases reported since June.
“As Police we don’t kidnap or abduct, we only arrest and detain the individuals in the gazetted Police station and forward the cases to the courts in the event we believe that an individual has a case to answer,” he told lawmakers.
Kanja disclosed that out of the 57 disappearances reported, 22 were found alive, two are dead while 29 are still missing with security agencies fast tracking investigations on the remaining cases.
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