A section of clergy from both the Catholic and the Anglican Churches of Kenya have once again called out the government for the recent spate in arbitrary abductions.
Speaking separately during and after the Christmas Day services, the clergy urged the government to carry out arrests in accordance with the law.
Bishop Martin Kivuva, the chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) stated that the practice was outdated.
“This practice of Kenyans being abducted because of their political stand or opinion is outdated,” Kivuva stated.
Members of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops
File
“I remember during the colonial times, this was the norm. Even if you thought about something you would be abducted. We are urging the President or the perpetrators, it is bringing us back many years before independence.”
The leadership of the ACK church led by Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit also chipped in on the criticism of the vice and called for transparency in arrests.
“Whoever has wronged, let them be arrested in daylight, brought to the court of law and whatever wrong will be established, the person be arraigned according to what they have done not according to what we don’t know,” Sapit opined.
He also called on Kenyans to remain resilient during these trying times saying, “In due course, God will reveal anything that is done in darkness in the light and God will sort us out in his way.”
Philip Anyolo, The Archbishop of the Catholic Diocese of Nairobi, echoed Sapit’s sentiments and commended Kenyans for their perseverance amidst trying times in the year that has been.
“Kenyans, thank you for persevering in the year that has passed. We have had a lot of challenges but as we continue to persevere, let us also as Christians remember that our first duty is to pray for peace,” he stated.
This call comes amidst a renewed surge in suspected police abductions that gained prominence during the anti-finance bill protests in June and July.
In the last week alone, four Kenyans have been reportedly abducted for sharing AI-generated images of the President, prompting calls for their release by politicians and church leaders alike.
However, the National Police Service in their statement on December 26 denied all the allegations although the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) noted that they had already launched investigations into the matter.
A photo collage of Bernard Kavuli, Peter Muteti and Billy Mwangi who were reportedly abducted for sharing AI-generate images of the President.