Parents of activist Bob Njagi on Thursday issued to public with the whereabouts of their son to help locate him.
Speaking in an interview on Citizen TV, the parents revealed that the kin was abducted onboard a Kitengela-bound matatu. The matatu was intercepted by 3 hooded men who forcibly ejected him from the matatu and drove away with him.
The father revealed that while Bob was being abducted, a scuffle ensued as the masked hoodlums forcibly bundled him into the waiting Subaru before speeding off.
Though Bob tried to secure his freedom from the unidentified men, who did not reveal their identities or motive, his efforts proved futile and he has not been traceable since he was waylaid.
The father further noted that his son has not been seen or heard from since the abduction and his phone remains off grid.
Njagi's mother, Isabella, on the other hand pleaded with the government to notify families of those they arrest so that due process of exoneration can be followed. She revealed that she does not know what mistake her son committed to warrant the abduction.
With his whereabouts unknown and no police records of him being in the custody, she noted that she has nowhere to begin her search for her son, Njagi.
Bob's last interview was with Citizen TV on Monday at Kamkunji Police Station after the arrest and detainment of former presidential aspirant Jimi Wanjigi.
The loud inauguration day promise of ending forced disappearances and abductions of Kenyans by the Kenya Kwanza Government seems to be a smokescreen, with reports of similar incidences persisting two years after they took office.
The forced abductions peaked during the anti-government protests in June this year, with families in areas like Githurai and Kitengela reporting missing cases suspected to be politically motivated. Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) estimates that 66 individuals are still missing.
The constitution of Kenya 2010 states that each individual has a right to know why they are being arrested and must be given access to a legal counsel of their choice.
Similarly, Police Standing Orders require arresting officers to identify themselves at the moment of arrest.
Furthermore, arresting officers are required to document the arrest properly including date, time and circumstances of arrest. They are also required to notify their superiors about the arrest and due cause. The suspect must be produced in court within 24 hours of arrest.
At the height of abductions in June, those released were visibly shaken and traumatised by the events. Figures about how many people are missing since the surge in abductions in June are still contested but one thing is clear, the cases of forced abductions are still going on with minimal accountability on the part of those who carry out the acts.
