MP Nelson Koech Calls for Public Probe Into Abductions

The Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations of the National Assembly, Nelson Koech, has questioned the latest spate of abductions after four alleged abductees were released.

“Someone is playing a game. It looks to me like someone is staging an act to trigger serious events,” Koech said.

Speaking on Citizen TV on Tuesday, January 7, Koech questioned the abduction claims, insisting that the details do not add up. “There is something terribly wrong,” he asserted.

“How do you party after you have been abducted? Where do you get the energy? How do you look so clean-shaven, still have money, and still go and afford a beer?” Koech asked while averring to the release of cartoonist Gideon Kibet, alias Kibet Bull.

On Monday, four Kenyans who had allegedly been abducted and held at undisclosed locations for half a month were released. The four are cartoonist Gideon Kibet, alias Kibet Bull, his brother Ronny Kiplangat, Billy Mwangi, a college student, Bernard Kavuli, a content creator, and Peter Muteti.

Kibet, who was abducted from Nairobi city centre, was found in Luanda, 383 kilometres away. Mwangi, who was abducted in Embu town, walked home in Embu, while Kiplangat, captured in Kikuyu, was freed in Machakos.

Kavuli, who was roughed up and driven away in Ngong, was found in Kitale, while Muteti, who went missing in Uthiru, was dumped by his abductors in Nairobi city centre.

“You cannot be released by abductors and still attend some disco in Luanda. It is impossible. And you have been away for 15 days, and you still look clean and comfortable to dance at a disco matanga,” he questioned in relation to Kibet’s alleged abduction.

Koech, who is an ally of President William Ruto, has, however, called for a public investigation into the cases of abductions. “I want to call upon the Director of Criminal Investigations to go further and invite these young men released yesterday and interrogate them to find out what happened,” he asserted.

He added, “And if possible, do it publicly so that we know what has happened.”

Yesterday, National Police Service (NPS) Spokesperson Resila Onyango announced that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had already commenced probing cases of missing persons, with some of the cases still pending in court.

Onyango went ahead to urge members of the public to collaborate with security agencies by providing any information that may aid in investigations or tracing the missing people.

Koech hinted at inviting the Interior Cabinet Secretary to explain the abductions. He, however, did not say when.