University Students Threaten Protests If Govt Does Not Release Abductees In 24 Hours

Students of the Technical University in Mombasa, along with their student leaders, on Saturday, January 4 threatened to stage protests, issuing a 24-hour ultimatum to the government over the abductions of young people.

The students, who spoke to the press, called for the immediate release of all young people who were allegedly abducted, asking that they be tried in court. They took note of the cries of families searching for their young ones amidst ongoing abductions of young people. 

"We would like to stand in solidarity with our comrades who are lost because an injury to one comrade is an injury to us all.

“We demand the release of our comrades unconditionally, and we are giving the government an ultimatum of 24 hours or on Monday, we shall be on the streets to demonstrate for the release of our comrades,” Mohammed Talib, a student at the Technical University of Mombasa, stated.

University students protesting the lecturers strike in Nairobi. /FILE

Joseph Oloo, the President of the Technical University of Mombasa Students Association, led the students in criticising the government for allowing abduction to happen in a democratic nation.

“We are giving the government up to Sunday evening failure, to which on Monday we shall be in the streets demanding for the release of these people,” the president of the student association warned.

The students hit out at the abductions, condemning the government for failing to account for the incidents which have sparked uproar across the country.

As a result, the Technical University students vowed to stand firm in solidarity with the abducted young people and their families until they are found. “We would like to stand in solidarity with our comrades who are lost because an injury to one comrade is an injury to us all,” the student stated.

The students demanded an end to all abductions and that the abductees be allowed to continue with their lives uninterrupted. 

“Kenya is being governed by a constitution that we were granted In 2010, and it clearly states that any detention without reasonable act is termed an adoption and false disappearance,” Justus Ogoso a student leader at the varsity, stated.

Pressure is reaching boiling point for the government to crack down on the rampant abduction cases, the most recent cases seeing young social media users going missing after making controversial social media posts targeted towards President William Ruto and his government.

They include social media users Billy Mwangi, Steve Kavingo Mbisi, Peter Muteti, Bernard Kavuli, Rony Kiplang’at and Gideon Kibet alias Kibet Bull. According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), 82 abduction cases have been reported since June 2024, with 13 occurring in the past three months alone.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) criticised the police for failing to address the situation. LSK President Faith Odhiambo called for the resignation of the Inspector-General of Police if he cannot decisively tackle the crisis. However, Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja firmly denied any police involvement in abductions.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) nonetheless launched investigations into the matter, with Chairperson Ahmed Issack Hassan expressing alarm over the rising cases.