KENYA: All Kenyans Previously Reported Missing Have Been Located And  Reunited – Ruto

By Lisbeth Micheni, Kenya 

President William Ruto has declared that all Kenyans who were previously reported as missing under mysterious or suspicious circumstances have safely returned to their families.

Speaking during a joint press briefing with Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, who is visiting Kenya for an official tour, President Ruto reiterated his government’s firm stand against abductions and enforced disappearances.

Addressing concerns from journalists on Monday, Ruto emphasized that the government had implemented strong measures to stop such incidents from recurring.

He affirmed that no Kenyan is currently unaccounted for and insisted that his administration would not tolerate a return to an era marked by disappearances and human rights violations.

“There are mechanisms in place to ensure transparency and accountability,” said Ruto, stressing that his leadership is committed to upholding democratic principles and the protection of citizens’ rights.

He maintained that his government has ensured that all individuals who had gone missing or had been abducted were returned safely to their homes.

However, the President did not disclose who was responsible for the abductions.

As part of the steps to prevent future cases, Ruto highlighted that one of his first actions in office was to grant financial and operational independence to the National Police Service.

He said this move was aimed at enhancing accountability and professional conduct within the police force.

These assurances come amid increasing public anxiety following a report by the human rights group Missing Voices, which documented 55 cases of enforced disappearances in Kenya in 2024.

The report also noted that from 2019 to 2024, over 970 people were either victims of forced disappearance or extrajudicial killings in the country.