This archive report was first published on 19 October 2021.
Published on October 19, 2021, a local human rights group, Haki Africa, reported a sharp increase in forced disappearances, with 40 cases documented in the last 10 months.
Three families in Mombasa and Kisumu are currently searching for their missing relatives, with the police accused of being involved in most of the cases.
One of the missing persons, 22-year-old Mohammed Abubakar, was arrested by people suspected to be police officers shortly after leaving a local mosque in Majengo on October 14.
His cousin, Abdulrahaman Abubakar, said his whereabouts had remained unknown, and his mother had gone on a hunger strike to protest her son's arrest.
Another missing person, 16-year-old Sylvia Said, had been missing for the last 10 days, and her family had reported the matter to Nyali police station.
Relatives of a Kisumu-based trader, Tony Ratos, have also been searching for him since October 10, after he went to visit his elder sister in Kilifi.
Senator Mohamed Faki and Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir accused the police of having a hand in most of the disappearances, with Nassir saying, 'For how long shall we be telling security agencies to style up in their work and ensure they follow the rule of law when executing their operations?'
Hussein Khalid, executive director of Haki Africa, appealed to the Interior CS, Inspector General of Police, and the Director of Public Prosecutions to take charge and ensure an end to these disappearances.
