Politician among protesters arrested in Kenya while calling for an end to alleged abductions

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — An opposition politician and several other protesters were arrested in Kenya on Monday during street demonstrations calling for an end to alleged abductions, that recently targeted young government critics.

Senator Okiya Omtatah had joined hundreds of protesters who sat down on the streets of the capital, Nairobi while chanting that police should free seven people abducted this month.

Police hurled tear gas canisters at the protesters and when Omtatah and several others did not disperse and held on to a long chain, they were arrested.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights on Thursday raised concern over a growing number of alleged kidnappings of government critics, saying that the total number of such cases stands at 82 since the anti-government protests in June.

President William Ruto on Saturday said the government would stop the abductions so that young people live in peace.

Rights groups allege the country’s police force is behind such kidnappings, but police have denied involvement and have said that they are investigating the disappearances.

Senator Omtatah on Monday filed a case at the High Court in Nairobi seeking to compel the government to free seven youths, accusing the police of abducting them.

“If they have committed a crime, let them be prosecuted and presented in court to defend themselves,” he said.

Young protesters said they were in solidarity with those abducted while going about their daily lives.

“We are existing at a time where we have to live in fear,” a protester, Orpah Thabiti said.

Four social media users went missing after they shared AI-generated images of President Ruto that were deemed offensive by government supporters.

The rights commission had warned that Kenya was heading back to the “dark days” of the disappearance of government critics. The abduction and torture of the opposition were common under the administration of the late President Daniel Moi.