KDF Officers Accused of Kidnapping 46 People

Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officers have been accused of kidnapping 46 people from the Coast. 

According to Haki Africa, a human rights lobby, the individuals who are missing could have been abducted by security agencies. 

Haki Africa's executive director Hussein Khalid stated: "We have received so many complaints from various families blaming the security agencies especially the Kenya Defence Forces and the police on the disappearances of their kinsmen.

"We have recorded 46 cases of killings and disappearances of locals in the Coast region between January and July this year," he mentioned. 

[caption caption="Haki Africa's executive director Hussein Khalid"][/caption]

Speaking during a press conference in Mombasa on Wednesday, the organisation gave names of those individuals it believes were abducted by police but noted that 46 of them could not be accounted for. 

However, the Regional police commander, Noah Mwivanda denied the allegations asserting that the police were not involved in the disappearances and killings of Kenyans. 

"The work of the police is to protect life and property which we cannot go against. We are not involved in those cases whatsoever," Mwivanda stated. 

He also claimed that information about the missing people was being spread y terror gang recruiters and that the police were investigating individuals behind the reports. 

Additionally, he commented: "The Al-Shabaab recruiters are doing this so that they can leave no trace when the youth leave for Somalia. This helps the youth when they return home because no one would suspect they had joined the terror groups."

Haki Africa also divulged that the disappearances started in 2014 when the worst ever terror attack at the Coast was recorded in Mpeketoni, Lamu, leaving hundreds dead.

According to Mr Abdalla Basalama, a retired AP senior Sergent whose son is among the missing persons, despite filing a missing person's report with the police nothing much has been done.

"We have filed a missing person report at the Witu Police Station, Mokowe, Mpeketoni, Hindi as well as Lamu town police stations but nothing has been forthcoming. The way the police are distancing themselves from this issue makes us suspect that they know where he is or what happened to him. We need the police to come clear on this," Ms Abdalla commented.

[caption caption="Police on patrol in Lamu, Coast region"][/caption]

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