President William Ruto has addressed recent and ongoing cases of abductions, illegal arrests and killings by police officers witnessed in the country since the beginning of anti-government protests in June.
In recent months, the country has reported a worrying surge in abductions, with many linking the rise to the aftermath of widespread anti-finance bill 2024 protests led by Gen Z.
Ruto while speaking during the State of the Nation address on Thursday, November 21 defended the response by his government against the protests.
The Head of State asserted that the government has the mandate to maintain and protect people’s property but called out security officers who carried out illegal arrests and forceful disappearances of citizens.
“It should not be possible for security officers to wound, maim or even kill citizens and claim that they were engaging violent criminals. We all have a duty to make the necessary distinction and to do so clearly to protect democratic expression and guarantee public safety and security.
“I must now confront an issue of widespread concern regarding the relationship between citizens and the security services in the context of immense threat and immense political dynamism.”
Ruto acknowledged that numerous allegations have been made concerning disappearances of people in the country during protests.
President Ruto addresses illegal arrests
According to him, a number of this cases have since been resolved while others have been uncovered as fake news undermining efforts to find genuine cases of missing persons.
“A good number of alleged disappearances have also turned out to be arrests made by Police officers. In such cases, the suspects have been duly arraigned in Court. I must however make it clear that there is no attempt to justify or excuse illegal arrests,” he added.
Also Read: UK & Other World Powers Mount Pressure on Ruto Over Abductions & Disappearances
The head of state said that justifying such arrests would be a serious threat to the life and liberty of citizens.
He further condemned any excessive use of judicial action that puts the life and liberty of any person at risk, including disappearances and threats to life.
Ruto urged Kenyans with information of such cases to inform the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) where they suspect police to be involved
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“I am aware many of the cases that have been raised are being handled by IPOA,” he added.
Blinken raises concerns
President Ruto had on Thursday, November 7 held a phone conversation with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss various issues affecting Kenya and other regions.
Secretary Blinken’s spokesperson Matthew Miller in a statement said that the Secretary of State 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.
Miller further said that Blinken urged Ruto to ensure the security forces in the country are held accountable for their involvement in violence during the protests.
Also Read: Details of Ruto’s Phone Call with Antony Blinken on Police Killings and Abductions
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.
The concerns raised by Blinken over the ongoing cases of abductions and disappearances in the country came after the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja denied assertions that the National Police Service (NPS) is involved in the cases.
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