People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has urged President William Ruto to go beyond acknowledging the recent abductions of Kenyan citizens and confront the broader issue of extrajudicial killings and disappearances allegedly perpetrated by security agencies.
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Karua Calls for Accountability
In a strongly-worded statement issued on Monday, May 12, Karua said Ruto’s admission that protestors were abducted during the recent Gen Z demonstrations was not enough. She demanded a full acknowledgment of the scale of human rights abuses and justice for victims.
“Now that William Ruto has acknowledged abductions, he needs to go further and acknowledge extrajudicial killings and disappearances, as well as the role of security forces in these acts,” Karua stated. “He must take steps to hold the culprits accountable, including those identified in the BBC documentary.”
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File photo of Martha Karua addressing the media. (Image/Courtesy)
Shocking Statistics from Missing Voices Report
Her remarks came days after human rights group Missing Voices released a report revealing a 450% increase in enforced disappearances in 2024. According to the report, at least 55 people vanished in connection with protests, most of whom have neither been prosecuted nor seen again.
The report also highlighted a disturbing trend: “Some of the vehicles did not have local number plates. This makes it difficult to determine with absolute accuracy the identity of the security officers responsible for the series of enforced disappearances.”
Ruto’s Response Sparks Debate
Speaking earlier at a joint press briefing with Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, Ruto said all abducted protestors had been returned home and assured the public such events would not recur.
“All the people who disappeared or were abducted… have been brought back to their families and homes. I have given firm instructions that nothing of that nature will ever happen again,” Ruto stated, without naming the culprits.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to ending extrajudicial disappearances in Kenya.
Public Outcry Over Government Silence
Despite Ruto’s assurances, activists and political observers continue to call for greater transparency and legal action against those implicated in the abductions and killings.
Karua and other leaders insist that without proper investigations and justice, the culture of impunity within Kenya’s security forces will persist.
