PS Omollo: Some reported abductions are self-orchestrated

Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has denied claims that the government is involved in the abduction of activists, insisting that enforced disappearances are no longer tolerated under President William Ruto's administration.

PS Omollo said the "abduction culture" ended with the previous administration, adding that the current government has remained committed to upholding the rule of law and constitutional rights.

The Interior PS said security agencies have handled recent demonstrations in accordance with the law, noting that individuals arrested during protests were processed through the justice system rather than subjected to enforced disappearances.

"The abduction culture is long gone. We had that challenge in the last administration, where people were being abducted while others were being found in rivers. Since we took over the government, President William Ruto has been clear that there will be nothing like that," he said.

"The other day, we had peaceful protests. Kenyans who wanted to demonstrate peacefully did so, while those with a different intention also went ahead. Those who were arrested were taken to court, not just recently but also during previous protests."

PS Omollo alleged that some people have falsely claimed to have been abducted in an attempt to portray the government as indifferent to the welfare of Kenyans.

"We have also had people who claimed they were abducted, but in the end, you find that they were hiding themselves in a bid to make it appear that the government is not keen on the well-being of Kenyans," he said.

He maintained that there have been no state-sponsored abductions under President Ruto's leadership, urging families of missing persons to report such cases to the police for investigation.

"There are no abductions under the watch of President Ruto. If anyone is missing, the law is clear. The matter should be reported as a missing person's case, and if there is evidence that someone was abducted, it is important to indicate who abducted them so that investigations can be carried out," he said.

The PS described some of the reported incidents as "purported abductions," claiming that individuals deliberately disappear before resurfacing.

"The cases that I would call purported abductions are people sleeping or locking themselves in their bedrooms before coming out to claim they were abducted," he said.

Omollo also called on the media to expose individuals who allegedly stage abductions, saying some lock themselves indoors or admit themselves to hospital before resurfacing to accuse the government.

"The media should help us call out some of these characters. Until today, we are yet to hear anyone call out those who lock themselves in their bedrooms or admit themselves to hospital, causing unnecessary anxiety to make the government look bad," he said.

He added that the government respects the constitutional rights of all Kenyans, including the freedom to criticize the government and demonstrate peacefully, provided they do so within the confines of the law.