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Abductees Billy Mwangi, Peter Muteti released

Billy walked his way to his Embu home after he had been abandoned in Nyeri.

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by CYRUS OMBATI

Realtime06 January 2025 - 09:08
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In Summary


  • This comes as human rights activists planned a protest to condemn abduction and forced disappearance.
  • The protests were planned on Monday, January 6 in various places.

Billy Mwangi and Peter Muteti released/Handout



Two of the victims who had been abducted were freed on Monday morning.

The two are Billy Mwangi and Peter Muteti.

Billy walked his way to his Embu home after he had been abandoned in Nyeri, about 60 kilometres away.

He had been missing for about 15 days.

It is not clear who was behind the abduction but his family had linked the same to his criticism of the government.

To the family of Billy, it was a relief.

Pictures circulated online showing him hugging a relative at their Majengo home in Embu.

This comes as human rights activists planned a protest to condemn abduction and forced disappearance.

The protests were planned on Monday, January 6 in various places.

Muteti was also released by his abductors in Nairobi and found his way to his home.

He was abducted outside an apartment on December 21 in Nairobi over social media posts he made.

The organisers of the protests said the move to release Billy and Muteti was aimed at deflating the plans to hold the marches and urged for more pressure and people to come out to condemn the trend.

At least seven other individuals are still missing after their abduction.

Police were deployed to various parts of Nairobi and other urban areas to address the fears of planned protests.

Police said the move was aimed at addressing any fears by the protesters to disrupt normal activities in the country.

Over the past six months, cases of abductions and enforced disappearances have become common as parents living in fear of their youth disappearing without a trace.

According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, there have been at least 82 cases of abductions since June last year, the period when youths took to the streets to protest against Finance Bill 2024.

In the last three months of 2024, at least 13 cases of abductions were recorded with December alone accounting for seven, the Commission said.

The Director of Public Prosecutions Mulele Ingonga directed the police to inform him on the status of investigations into claims of abductions and forced disappearances by January 1, 2025.

He said he is concerned with reports of abductions and forced disappearances in the country hence the need for the probe.

He said he is cognisant of the state's obligation to protect and preserve the right to life and the freedom and security of the person as provided for under Articles 26 and 29 among other provisions of the Constitution of Kenya.

He directed the Inspector General of police Douglas Kanja and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority to probe the matter within three days and forward the probe file to his office for action.

He cited the cases of Steve Mbisi, Billy, Muteti, Bernard Kavuli, Rony Kiplang’at and recently cartoonist Gideon Kibet alias Kibet Bull.

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