Popular political commentator and newspaper columnist Gabriel Oguda was allegedly abducted on Tuesday, June 25, hours to the anti-Finance Bill protests.
Reports indicate that the vocal critic of President William Ruto’s government, was abducted in the wee hours of Tuesday June 25.
Oguda posted at around 2: 18 am that men believed to be police officers were at his gate.
“Guys, cops are at my gate,” Oguda wrote.
Oguda’s brother Zachary Ogunda confirmed the abduction in a post online that the newspaper columnist was taken away from his house by men believed to be police.
“I can confirm that my brother has been taken by unknown gunmen from his house 5 minutes ago,” Zachary posted.
“Any tweets coming from Gabriel Oguda were already scheduled. He is not safe.”
Oguda & Osama Among Protestors Abducted
Despite him going offline, Oguda’s X user account continued posting rallying calls for Kenyans to turn up for demonstrations on Tuesday.
Social media reports emerged that other key figures in the Gen Z-led peaceful protests had been arrested and their whereabouts remained unknown.
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Osama Otero, who has been hosting popular X Spaces opposing the Finance Bill 2024 was also reportedly abducted by unknown people.
In what appeared to be a coordinated roundup, Osama Otero tweeted about strangers at his home around the same time as Oguda.
“Guys are outside where I am. They have come for me guys at 3: 00am,” his last post read.
Osama went on posting that five people were knocking at his door, and thereafter has not posted anything on his tweet.
Other X users who are suspected of having been abducted include Drey Mwangi, TemperCR7, Harriet, Franje, Worldsmith and Hilla254.
John Frank Githiaka alias Franje was abducted on June 24 by unidentified plain-clothe officers from his office at Beast Athletic Offices on Baringo Road in Kahawa Sukari.
Increased Abduction of Protestors
The latest cases add to other protestors who were captured over the weekend such as Shadrak Kiprono, alias Shad Khalif, who was abducted on June 23 Sunday night in Nairobi’s South B area.
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However, some protesters were released after a public uproar. Dr. Austin Omondi, also known as Ja Prado, was released on Sunday June 23 night.
Omondi had been running a blood donation drive for injured protesters at Sikh Union along Nairobi’s Forest Road and was reportedly captured by individuals in a vehicle with the registration number KCU 819H.
Furthermore, prominent X user Billy Simani, known as Crazy Nairobian, was released from police custody on Saturday June 22 evening following his arrest on Friday, June 21.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) have condemned the abductions and called for an immediate end to this trend.
“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 said on Monday.
Gen Zs have planned more protests on Tuesday, June 25, and Thursday, June 27, when MPs will vote on the proposed bill.
So far, two people have been confirmed dead from the ongoing anti-finance bill protests held on June 20.
This included Rex Kanyike Masai, 29, who was shot and killed on June 20 while another protester succumbed to injuries on Friday, June 21.
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