A report by Missing Voices has reported a significant increase in enforced disappearance in Kenya.
The report released on Wednesday, May 7, 2024, revealed that enforced disappearance increased by 450 per cent between 2023 and 2024.
In 2024, 55 cases of enforced disappearance were reported compared to 10 reported in 2023.
"2024 marked the year that the coalition recorded the highest number of cases of enforced disappearances. Before then, 2019 had the highest number of cases of enforced disappearances at 38."
"Most victims of enforced disappearances were neither prosecuted nor allowed to demonstrate their innocence in a court of law. They have not received justice or compensation by the time of the report," read the report in part.
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The counties that led in enforced disappearances were Nairobi (18), Kajiado (6), Machakos (4), Kiambu (4) and Nakuru (3).
"45 of the incidents of enforced disappearance were suspected to have been perpetrated by police officers against 4 from the Anti-Terror Police Unit. 6 of the incidents couldn’t be attributed to any specific security arm. It is concerning that most of these incidents
of enforced disappearances were done in the full glare of the public, including the media, by hooded men in plain clothes."
"Some of the vehicles did not have local number plates. This makes it difficult to determine with absolute accuracy the identity of the security officers responsible for a series of enforced disappearances in the country," read the report in part.
On the other hand, 104 Kenyans were reported to have been killed by police.
Notably, most of the killings and enforced disappearances were recorded in June and July during the Gen Z protests.
"Most victims of extrajudicial killings were youth between 18 and 34 years old. A majority of those killed were youth at 79, followed by adults at 18, and minors below 18 years were 7," Missing Voices added in the report.
"When it comes to gender, 91% of the victims of extrajudicial killings were men compared to 9% who were female. Males, and especially young men, continue to bear the brunt of the cases of police killings."
