NAIROBI, Kenya, May 7 – A total of 159 cases of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances were documented in 2024, according to a newly released report by the civic coalition Missing Voices.
Of these, 104 were police-related killings—representing 65 percent of the total—while 55 cases (35 percent) were enforced disappearances.
The report reveals that 2024 marked the highest number of enforced disappearances ever recorded by the coalition, surpassing the previous peak of 38 cases in 2019. The number of disappearances jumped from 10 in 2023 to 55 in 2024—an alarming 450 percent increase.
Overall, there was a 24 percent rise in the combined cases of police killings and enforced disappearances compared to the previous year.
However, the data also shows a 12 percent drop in police-related killings, down from 118 in 2023 to 104 in 2024.
The coalition attributes the surge in disappearances to periods of political unrest, particularly during the Gen Z and Millennial-led protests against the Finance Bill 2024. The highest number of disappearances was recorded in June (15 cases), followed by October (11), and July and August (7 each). No cases were reported in February, March, or November.
Extrajudicial killings also spiked during the Finance Bill protests, with 58 of the 104 killings occurring between June and August. June was the deadliest month, accounting for 38 killings, followed by July (11) and August (9).
Nairobi County recorded the highest number of police killings at 38, followed by Kiambu (9), Migori (6), Kakamega and Nakuru (5 each), and Makueni and Uasin Gishu (4 each).
The report paints a grim demographic picture, revealing that most victims were youth aged 18 to 34, who accounted for 79 deaths. Eighteen victims were aged over 34, while seven were minors under 18.
Despite the spike in cases, the coalition laments the continued lack of accountability, noting that fewer than 2 percent of police killings are prosecuted. Many victims of enforced disappearances have never been presented before a court, and their families remain without redress or compensation.
