Kenyan President William Ruto has vowed to put an end to abductions, following a recent surge in disappearances that have drawn condemnation from human rights groups, lawyers, and politicians.
Security forces in Kenya have been accused of carrying out numerous illegal detentions, particularly since the youth-led anti-government protests in June and July.
The most recent disappearances involve young men who are said to have criticized Ruto on social media.
On Thursday, the Kenyan police denied any involvement in the abductions targeting government critics.
While speaking to a crowd in Homa Bay, a town in western Kenya, Ruto promised to end the abductions, urging parents to take responsibility for their children’s actions. “We are going to stop the abductions so that our youth can live peacefully,” he declared.
In his State of the Nation address in November, Ruto had condemned excessive or extrajudicial actions, emphasizing that many of the detentions were legitimate arrests of criminals and subversive elements.
Tensions continue to rise in the country, with the latest abductions sparking small protests in at least one town.