NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 24 – Leaders allied to Deputy President William Ruto have condemned the abduction of digital strategist Dennis Itumbi by unknown people on Thursday in Kiambu’s Thindigua area.
Eyewitnesses accounts indicate that three men violently accosted Itumbi and forced him into a waiting vehicle before speeding off from the scene.
Police said Itumbi was later found dumped naked in Nairobi’s Lucky summer area with multiple injuries.
In a joint statement read by Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika, Ruto’s allies said they will write to the UN Special rapporteur regarding alleged abductions and disappearances in the country.
“It is a matter of tremendous sorrow for us to witness the return of the horrors of the darkest point of Kenya’s autocratic regime, which we believed to be gone for good. It is important to note that abductions, arbitrary detention, torture and other forms of state-sponsored terror and harassment have made their big come-back. We condemn this policy of backsliding into retrogressive, savage and intolerable political and administrative measures,” Kihika said.
The leaders appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to launch an inquiry into the existence of kill squads within security agencies.
“We demand an impartial and independent investigation and President to constitute a commission of inquiry into the existence of a criminal squad targeting political players,” the leaders said.
Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen thanked Kenyans for their stand against the violation of human rights.
“I would like to thank Kenyans of goodwill in their numbers, both who support the hustler nation and those who are our political competitors who took to social media to condemn what happened to Dennis Itumbi.
“I know a few of them were being used to sanitize what was happening but many of them stood firm and said in one voice that torture, enforced disappearances and all this kind of political machinations that are being used at the moment is not supposed to be happening in the Kenya of the 21st century.”
Uasin Gishu Woman Representative Gladys Shollei called on human rights organizations and the international community to step up and have a closer look at the state of Kenya during the electioneering period.
Though the leaders linked the abductions to state agents, the National Police Service distanced itself from the incident saying they had launched investigations into the matter.
Police Spokesperson Bruno Shioso said in statement Friday that they had commenced investigations to establish circumstances surrounding the kidnap which elicited mixed reactions among a section of Kenyans.
“We appeal to members of the public to be patient during the investigation; and should therefore desist from speculation. We further appeal to members of the public who may have information regarding the incident to volunteer and report to any Police Station or through our hotline numbers 999,112 or 0800 722 203,” Shioso said Friday.
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