Plainclothes police officers, lacking identification and service numbers, abducted Boniface Mwangi this morning following his call for Kenyans to honor those killed in the June and July protests.
Mwangi had encouraged Kenyans to wear fatigues with anti-Ruto slogans and carry a Kenyan flag as symbols of resistance at today’s StanChart marathon.
KHRC fully supports Mwangi’s actions. He was exercising his right to free expression, demanding accountability for the lives lost, injuries sustained, and dreams shattered by police brutality during the protests.
Authorities now allege that Mwangi “incited violence” and are pressing for charges. However, Mwangi’s words were not incitement—they were a call to Kenyans’ conscience, urging us to recognize the autocratic tendencies of William Ruto, who has neglected his duty to protect citizens and take responsibility for the tragic outcomes of his misgovernance.
Police are holding Mwangi at Kamkunji police station, claiming they await directives from the Nairobi Area. We demand Mwangi’s unconditional release, the dropping of all charges, and assurance of his safety.
Not isolated incident
Mwangi’s abduction and forced detention is not an isolated incident.
This pattern has persisted since the IEBC declared Ruto as president in 2022. Recently, this regime even facilitated the abduction and refoulment of four Turkish refugees and has been implicated in the kidnapping, torture, and killing of numerous Kenyan youths this year.
The police continue to operate like gangsters—arresting individuals in plain clothes without displaying their badges, in direct violation of a court order mandating proper identification. This deliberate disregard for identification undermines accountability, violates the law, and perpetuates a culture of impunity.
To our fellow Kenyans, use every opportunity—whether in social spaces or workplaces—to resist this regime and demand accountability for its injustices. These oppressive actions must end.