Rights Defender Sounds Alarm Over Rising Murders, Disappearances

A prominent human rights defender has raised the alarm over a growing wave of unresolved murders and abductions across the country, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to national stability and economic growth.

Dr Isaac Newton Kinity condemned the Kenya Kwanza administration for what he described as a failure to decisively tackle the crisis. He urged the government to hold perpetrators accountable, warning that the continued violence has created a climate of fear and insecurity.

“The governance of this nation must be overhauled. No Kenyan should live in fear while innocent lives are lost and others abducted,” he said, arguing that insecurity is undermining Kenya’s economic potential.

He cited the brutal killing of Catholic priest Fr Allois Cheruiyot Bett in Elgeyo Marakwet as emblematic of the violence, and called on the state to act swiftly to restore public confidence.

Since assuming office in September 2022, President William Ruto’s administration has faced mounting criticism over its handling of high-profile murder cases. Many remain unresolved, fuelling public outrage and eroding trust in law enforcement.

Among the most disturbing cases is the October 2023 killing of Wells Fargo Human Resources Manager Willis Ayieko, whose body was found in Siaya County days after he was reported missing. He had visible signs of torture. Former Baringo Senator Gideon Moi described the case as part of a “deeply disturbing surge in brutal murders” and urged stronger government action.

Similarly, the murders of Waris Daud and her daughters Amina Abdirashid and Nuseiba Dahir, whose bodies were discovered in Nairobi and Machakos after disappearing from Eastleigh in October 2023, remain unsolved. The case has intensified public concern over rising femicide.

In July 2024, police recovered nine dismembered bodies—most of them women—in a quarry in Nairobi. Collins Jumaisi Khalusha was arrested and allegedly confessed to killing 42 women. However, his lawyer claims the confession was coerced. The proximity of the crime scene to a police post has cast doubt on the investigation. “The police version of events has too many loopholes,” said Haki Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid.

In the same month, the body of Jomo Kenyatta University student Denzel Omondi was found in a swamp days after he took part in protests against the Finance Bill. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority is yet to identify any suspects.

Dr Kinity also pointed to systemic governance failures, citing rampant land grabbing by influential figures. He called for urgent security interventions in violence-prone areas such as the Kerio Valley and stressed the need to protect civil liberties, including freedom of speech and democratic participation.

He further criticised the souring of relations between Kenya and Tanzania, sparked by Kenyan activists supporting a Tanzanian opposition leader facing treason charges. “This dispute undermines the spirit of East African unity. If a crisis strikes, we may find no allies to turn to,” he warned.

Despite the bleak outlook, Dr Kinity urged Kenyans, especially the youth, to continue pushing for reforms ahead of the 2027 elections. “We must fight for a country where the rule of law prevails,” he said.

Data from the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights shows 82 cases of enforced disappearances were reported between June and December 2024, with 29 individuals still missing. Amnesty International has also accused security forces of being linked to more than 500 extrajudicial killings and dozens of abductions between 2019 and 2022.