Abduction, Torture & Silence: Human Rights Group Points Finger at Governor Amid Growing Fears in Northern Kenya

A chilling case of abduction and torture involving a senior former county official has reignited national outrage over rising impunity and threats to democracy in Kenya’s devolved governments. 

On Sunday, June 15, Vocal Africa CEO Hussein Khalid went public with claims implicating a sitting county governor in the recent kidnapping and brutalization of a former Chief Officer for Health. The county in question lies in Kenya’s northeastern region, bordering others like Meru, Laikipia, Samburu, Marsabit, Garissa, and Wajir. 

“For legal reasons, we will not name the county governor at this time,” Khalid stated in a press release, but emphasized that the evidence provided to authorities,  including CCTV footage, clearly points to the governor’s direct involvement. 

“Despite multiple reports filed at various police stations, no arrests have been made. Yet the abductors are known, and all evidence, including surveillance footage, has been submitted. We are demanding immediate intervention by the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI),” said Khalid. 

Photos released alongside the statement show the victim, frail, bruised, and fresh out of hospital, still hooked to a drip. Vocal Africa believes the lack of action from law enforcement is not just negligence, but a deliberate shield of impunity around the powerful. 

The climate in the county has turned tense, with Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) reportedly going underground. They had filed a motion to impeach the governor just days before the abduction occurred. According to sources close to the assembly, the MCAs have since switched off their phones and left their residences in fear for their lives. 

“We are witnessing systematic intimidation of elected officials and civil servants. This is a war against transparency,” remarked one local human rights defender, who spoke on condition of anonymity. 

The incident comes amid national uproar over another recent case, the death of 31-year-old teacher and blogger Albert Ojwang while in police custody.  

Ojwang was arrested in Homa Bay and transported over 350 kilometers to Nairobi under murky circumstances. His death, reportedly due to police abuse, has sparked calls for accountability and resignations from top police brass, including DCI Director Mohammed Amin, Inspector General Douglas Kanja, and Deputy IG Eliud Lagat. 

The parallels between Ojwang’s case and the county abduction are fueling fears that Kenya is witnessing a resurgence of forced disappearances, political intimidation, and extrajudicial abuse, crimes that many hoped had been left behind. 

As pressure mounts, civil society is urging President William Ruto’s administration to act swiftly and decisively. 

“Justice delayed is not just denied, it is a death sentence for democracy,” Khalid warned. 

The question now hanging in the air: how many more voices must be silenced before justice speaks?