In a fiery press briefing that sent shockwaves through Kenya’s political circles, Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka accused the government of operating a secret “Abduction Squad” aimed at silencing opposition voices.
This comes days after Juja MP George Koimburi was found barely conscious in a Kiambu coffee plantation, his body showing signs of torture and chemical exposure. Kalonzo rejected claims that Koimburi staged his disappearance, calling it a desperate cover-up.
Backed by remarks from former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Kalonzo declared the rise of a shadow unit targeting dissenters — and warned Kenyans are watching.
Kalonzo Calls Out Government Over ‘Abduction Squad’
Kalonzo Musyoka did not mince words during his Tuesday press conference. Standing firm before cameras, he tore into the National Police Service (NPS), accusing them of turning a blind eye to a covert unit responsible for abducting, torturing, and neutralizing opposition figures.
“There is a capture squad operating in this country,” Kalonzo stated. “We are guided by what Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said last night — that a special team exists to eliminate opposition in Kenya.”
He described the government’s response to Koimburi’s abduction as an insult to public intelligence. NPS had earlier claimed that the MP faked his own kidnapping. Kalonzo called the narrative laughable, arguing that it’s part of a wider scheme to intimidate the opposition while using the police as a shield.
“Let Kanja issue whatever statement he wants,” Kalonzo added, referring to a senior police officer. “But who will believe a police officer like him today? The trust is broken. Kenyans are awake and determined — nothing will stop them from sending this regime home.”
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua echoed similar concerns. Days before Kalonzo’s speech, Gachagua alleged that the so-called unit used chemical inhalants to silence dissenters. He claimed the same squad nearly poisoned him during the height of the anti-finance bill protests earlier this year.
These aren’t isolated accusations. The pattern of abductions and brutal torture has been widely reported, pointing to a disturbing trend that many fear is state-sponsored.
Juja MP’s Ordeal Points to Torture and Chemical Exposure
MP George Koimburi’s disappearance — and the condition he was found in — adds a grim layer of credibility to Kalonzo’s claims.
On Sunday, Koimburi was reported missing. Less than 24 hours later, he was discovered in a coffee plantation, semi-conscious and unable to speak or move. Gachagua, who visited him at Karen Hospital, said the MP showed signs of exposure to toxic chemicals and soft tissue injuries consistent with torture.
“He could neither speak nor move his vocal cords,” Gachagua revealed. “He was extremely weak and barely able to move.”
These injuries, according to Gachagua, point directly to methods used by rogue intelligence units to silence targets without leaving behind obvious evidence.
Kalonzo used Koimburi’s ordeal as the latest proof of an ‘Abduction Squad’ actively operating in Kenya, targeting those who dare oppose the state. He warned that the trend could escalate if not checked, plunging the country into authoritarian rule under the disguise of democracy.
Human Rights Watch and Rising Cases of Enforced Disappearances
The claims by Kalonzo and Gachagua are not new. In January, Human Rights Watch Africa rang similar alarm bells. During the release of its 35th World Report, the organization exposed a security outfit within the Kenyan government allegedly behind a wave of enforced disappearances.
The report cited a spike in abductions that peaked during the anti-government protests of 2023 and early 2024. Victims were mostly opposition supporters and vocal critics of the administration. According to the watchdog, many were taken by plainclothes officers, held in secret locations, and tortured.
The special unit reportedly includes officers formerly from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Administration Police, and the National Intelligence Service (NIS). According to multiple sources, these operatives act without formal oversight, emboldened by political protection at the highest levels.
Kalonzo referenced these findings in his address, saying the pattern of attacks mirrors what autocratic regimes do to crush resistance. “This is no longer politics as usual,” he warned. “It’s a national crisis. If we stay silent, tomorrow it could be any of us.”
