Raila Odinga renews call for government to end abductions in Kenya

Opposition leader Raila Odinga has called on the government to end all abductions. Raila Odinga raised concern over the increasing cases of abductions in Kenya, describing it as a "very dangerous" development. "This is punitive and very strange. We cannot live in a country where people disappear for no reason and are kept incommunicado for long periods. The government must take this seriously, and it must come to an end. We want a safe and secure country,” Raila said. Speaking during the burial of Kenya National Commission on Human Rights chairperson Roselyn Odede in Siaya on Saturday, January 18, Raila compared the current tactics to those used against him in the 1990s when people were arrested and detained without charge or trial for supporting the call for multi-party democracy in Kenya. “Gone are the days when they used to arrest you and take you to Nyayo House. But these days, you are taken to unknown places. It is primitive and unacceptable,” Raila said. "I said before closing the year that abductions must come to an end. If Ruto said it would end, then it should end. We should stop arresting these children." Raila challenged the government to be truthful, and called for compensating all the abductee. He wondered why the Police Inspector General Douglas Kanja said he did not know who was behind the abductions yet during the disappearances abductees are handcuffed. "Handcuffs are not items that can just be bought from the shop. It is only the police with them. Who are those with handcuffs?" Raila asked. He asked the government to explain why no one had been arrested in connection to the abductions. Raila called out leaders for lying to Kenyans, saying the country cannot be built on lies but on integrity. The ODM leader has called on the government to compensate the Gen Zs who were injured during the anti-Finance Bill protests. "It is very sad for me what happened, just like when we were demonstrating. We should compensate the Gen Z's who were injured during their protests. We should compensate them for the country to move forward," Raila said.