President William Ruto’s statement on May 12, 2025, claiming that all abducted Kenyans have been returned home, does not match the facts on the ground. Despite his assurance during a joint media briefing with Finland at State House, several reports suggest that abductions were still happening and some victims have not been found.
Abductions in Kenya rose sharply during and after the protests against the 2024 Finance Bill. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights recorded 82 abduction cases last year, many of which are still unresolved.
These include the case of Brian Odhiambo, who was picked up by Kenya Wildlife Service officers in January 2025 and has not been seen since. There has been no update despite a promise by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to follow up on the matter.
The President’s words now seem to conflict with earlier statements he made. In mid-2024, Ruto denied that any abductions were happening. He even accused media and civil society of spreading fake news when families asked for help in locating their loved ones.
It wasn’t until December 2024 that he admitted to some cases of abductions and promised to end them. He repeated this in his New Year speech on January 1, 2025, where he acknowledged that some state security forces had committed excessive and illegal actions.
But now, just months later, he says the problem has been fixed and all victims are back home.
That jump from denial to acknowledgment to a claim of complete resolution makes his latest statement hard to trust.
Recent cases directly contradict the President’s words. Billy Mwangi was abducted in December 2024 for posting an AI image of Ruto in a coffin. He was tortured and only released in January 2025 without any charges.
Others like Gideon Kibet and Peter Muteti were targeted for creating satire mocking the President. Civil society and human rights groups, including the Law Society of Kenya and Human Rights Watch, have highlighted these and other cases that remain open.
The public service CS Justin Muturi was recently dismissed after he raised concerns about his own son’s abduction. He wrote letters to Ruto in March 2025 demanding answers, which were ignored.
These facts paint a very different picture from what the President told the public. His remarks about abductions being resolved do not match the ongoing reality. Victims are still missing, new cases continue to be reported, and there has been no accountability.
Police and government officials keep denying responsibility, and those behind the disappearances are walking free. The President’s shifting position and the evidence from the ground show a lack of transparency and commitment.
