Kenyan President William Ruto has vowed to end abductions following a series of disappearances condemned by rights groups and politicians.
Since youth-led protests against the government in June and July, security forces have been accused of illegal detentions, particularly targeting young men critical of Ruto online.
Addressing a crowd in Homa Bay on Friday, Ruto promised to halt the abductions but urged parents to take responsibility for their children.
“We will stop the abductions so our youth can live peacefully,” he said, as reported by local media.
While Ruto had denounced extrajudicial actions in his November state of the nation address, he defended some detentions as legitimate arrests of “criminals and subversive elements.”
The disappearances have sparked protests and criticism, with activists questioning police denials of involvement and their apparent lack of investigations.
“If the police are not complicit, they must investigate and prosecute those responsible,” the Law Society of Kenya said.
Human Rights Watch has linked the disappearances to a security unit operating across multiple agencies.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua recently alleged the existence of a secret unit targeting youth, saying, “Abducting and killing children is not a solution.”