Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Digital media strategist Dennis Itumbi has said there will be no abductions of anyone under the government of President William Ruto.

Itumbi made the comment on X on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, and this is at a time when there are massive reports of abductions of activists who are influential in the anti-Finance Bill demonstrations.

“I have been abducted, tortured, and seriously injured; I therefore condemn any form of abduction. I know for a fact that under President William Ruto, no one will ever be abducted, tortured, injured, or thrown into the River Yala, as happened in yester years, as some cheered and tweeted in support.

“That I know for sure,” Itumbi said.

Itumbi’s comments were echoed by Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah.

“We are beyond the days of abducting Kenyans, killing them, and dumping their bodies in the River Yala. This will never happen again in this country. I will check with the IG to see whether Gabriel Oguda has been arrested by the police,” the Kikuyu Member of Parliament said on the floor of the house on Tuesday.

Wandayi’s complants

Initially, Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi told the parliament that one of his staff members, Gabriel Oguda, was one of those who were abducted.

“Oguda called me to inform me that there were people at his gate who were breaking into his compound. I mobilized lawyers to attend to his situation, but within a minute my phone calls were jammed, and I was unable to call or receive calls until 6.30 am this morning.

“We have looked at the police stations in Nairobi; he is nowhere; we don’t know whether he has been killed or if he is being held somewhere. Oguda is an officer in the office of the leader of the minority and who is supposed to make our work easier,” Opiyo said in the National Assembly.

The abduction reports have caught the eye of both the regional and international communities, with Ugandan opposition figure Bobi Wine condemning them.