Willis Otieno puts IPOA on the spot over rising cases of abductions
By Mustafa Juma, June 30, 2026Constitutional lawyer Willis Otieno has challenged the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to take a more proactive role in investigating the growing number of reported abductions and enforced disappearances, warning that delays and inaction risk eroding public confidence in Kenya’s police oversight system.
Taking to his official X account on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, the Safina deputy party leader said the oversight body could no longer remain passive while allegations of abductions continue to surface across the country.
“IPOA cannot continue watching from the sidelines while allegations of abductions become a recurring feature of national life,” Otieno stated.
Public distrust
He argued that every reported abduction demands a swift, independent and transparent investigation, noting that delays and inaction only deepen public distrust.
“Every reported abduction demands a swift, independent and transparent investigation. Silence, delays and inaction only deepen public distrust and embolden those who believe they are above the law,” he stated.
“If IPOA exists to provide civilian oversight of policing, then this is precisely the moment to demonstrate that no one is beyond accountability.”
Concerns over abductions
His remarks come amid renewed public concern over a series of reported disappearances and alleged abductions that have reignited debate over police accountability and the protection of fundamental rights.
Recent reports indicate that several individuals have reportedly disappeared under unclear circumstances, including people said to have posted criticism of President William Ruto on social media.
Human rights groups and opposition leaders have expressed concern over what they describe as a resurgence of enforced disappearances, calling for urgent investigations into each reported case.
The concerns have also been amplified by the reported attempted abduction of a journalist and the recent case of activist Davis Lichuma, whose disappearance attracted widespread public attention before he was later found alive.
During the incident, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) stated that dozens of people linked to previous abductions remain unaccounted for.
The latest incidents come against the backdrop of unresolved cases arising from the 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests and subsequent demonstrations.
According to rights groups, dozens of people remain missing following the protests, while families continue to demand answers about the fate of their loved ones. Human Rights Watch’s 2026 report cited at least 41 people linked to the 2024 and 2025 protests as still missing, while KNCHR has previously documented numerous allegations of enforced disappearances during the demonstrations.
IPOA, the constitutional body mandated to provide civilian oversight over the National Police Service, has been under increasing pressure from lawyers, civil society organisations and victims’ families to expedite investigations into alleged police misconduct.
The authority has previously disclosed that while some cases arising from the 2024 protests have been forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions or are already before the courts, the majority remain under active investigation due to the complexity of gathering evidence and meeting prosecutorial thresholds.