BY EMILY MAGDALINE

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has raised the alarm over how the government has handled recent protests, pointing to cases of alleged enforced disappearances and demanding urgent steps to protect human rights. According to KNCHR, seven people were allegedly abducted after the June 25, 2026 demonstrations. The commission says the victims were reportedly picked up by suspected state agents in different parts of the country. It states that some were taken during daylight while others were allegedly seized at night by unidentified people using unmarked vehicles.

KNCHR adds that several of those later released said they were held in undisclosed places, where they claim they were tortured and subjected to other forms of mistreatment before being freed. The commission has condemned the incidents, saying enforced disappearances breach the Constitution and international human rights law, and is calling for independent investigations. Families of those affected say they are still living in fear and uncertainty as they push for justice. Opposition leaders have also condemned the alleged abductions, accusing the government of failing to protect citizens’ rights and demanding accountability.

Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has dismissed the claims linking government to the disappearances, saying security agencies are acting within the law. He has also suggested that some of the cases could have been staged. President William Ruto had earlier promised to end arbitrary arrests and abductions, assuring Kenyans that all rights would be respected under his government. Despite that pledge, human rights groups say reports of alleged enforced disappearances keep surfacing, raising new questions about the country’s human rights record.

KNCHR says it has documented at least 106 alleged enforced disappearances between 2024 and 2026, describing it as a worrying trend that needs urgent action. With pressure for justice mounting, focus now shifts to whether investigations will bring accountability and rebuild public trust in the state’s commitment to human rights.