Kanu chairman Gideon Moi has urged the government to release anyone being held unlawfully in any part of the country.
While insisting that the government must uphold the rule of law and ensure the safety of all citizens, Moi said desperate attempts to instil fear in the public and silence dissent are unwarranted, uncalled for, and has no place in Kenya.
“Today, the nation has witnessed the abduction of former Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter in Nairobi, another incident in a series of proliferating gangland-type kidnappings,” he said.
A video doing rounds on social media shows Keter being pulled out of a Toyota Landcruiser V8 in broad daylight as other road users look on.
Keter, a fierce critic of President William Ruto and his administration, was arrested around the Lavington area on Sunday afternoon.
His abduction comes at a time when pressure is mounting on authorities to stop abducting Kenyans opposed to the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Police have admitted that they arrested Keter in the dramatic incident. He was taken and booked at Kamukunji police cells.
Moi, who is the former Senator for Baringo County warned that the abduction of numerous young people that leaders have consistently and unequivocally condemned heralds a grim future for the rule of law that Kenya prides itself on.
“Since the onset of the vehement opposition to oppressive economic policies mounted by young people, some of them remain missing, held incommunicado while their families are distressed about the whereabouts of their loved ones,” he regretted.
He explained that the Constitution and the laws of our land are very clear regarding the arrests of any individual suspected of committing a crime.
“Such individuals must be informed of the reasons for their arrest, accorded access to legal representation, and produced before a court of competent jurisdictions within 24 hours to stand trial,” Moi said in a statement posted on social media.
Foreign Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs PS Korir Singóei also expressed outrage over the manner Keter was arrested.
