Kigame arrested in Eldoret anti-abductions protests

Renowned gospel singer and politician Reuben Kigame was yesterday arrested by anti-riot police officers as he led hundreds of youths in an anti-abduction protests along the streets of Eldoret.

The officers seized Kigame and a section of youths before frog-marching them to the Central Police Station.

On arrival at the station, the officers ushered the popular artiste and the other protesters to the report desk as another team of officers tore down the anti-abduction placards the protesters were holding.

The demonstrators were later freed after being held in police custody for 20 minutes but warned to keep off the streets since the demos had not been ‘cleared’ by the concerned authorities.

A senior officer, who declined to be named, had vowed not to allow any kind of protests in the region for what he termed “security reasons”.

“We stopped the organisers of the anti-abduction protests from holding the demos in Eldoret town because they had not notified the police about their mission so as to enable us to provide them with police escort,” he said.

Unconditional release

Talking to the media at Nandi Garden on Eldoret-Kapsabet road, Kigame condemned the police action, saying the street protest did not require any permit or permission.

“What we are demanding from the government is the unconditional release of the youths who have been abducted and also for the police to stop using force on peaceful demonstrators,” said Kigame.

He criticised Kenya Kwanza administration for turning the country into a dictator state, noting that Kenyans will not sit and watch as innocent youths continue to be abducted by the police and held incommunicado. “We will continue to stage peaceful protests until police stop abducting youths and subjecting them to brutality,” he added.

Police officers spent part of the day patrolling areas mapped as hot spots for anti-abduction protests that include Zion Mall street, the road linking Eldoret-Nakuru highway and Eldoret-Webuye road.

On Saturday President William Ruto promised to stop abductions of government critics, in an apparent change of stance after he previously called the wave of disappearances “fake news.”

“What has been said about abductions, we will stop them so youth can live in peace, but they should have discipline,” Ruto said in Homa Bay.

At least 82 government critics have allegedly gone missing after a youth-led protest movement erupted in June.