Amnesty to Ruto: Turn promises on enforced disappearances into action

Amnesty International Kenya has urged the Kenyan government to move beyond mere promises and take concrete actions to address enforced disappearances, locate missing persons, and hold perpetrators accountable. In a statement marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the organization highlighted that victims and their families continue to live in uncertainty while the perpetrators of alleged violations remain largely unaccountable.

President William Ruto's acknowledgment of the pain caused by past human rights violations, coupled with his assurance that no Kenyan should suffer for criticizing the government, expressing an unpopular opinion, or participating in a peaceful demonstration, was welcomed by Amnesty. However, Executive Director George Morara emphasized that these words must now be matched with action.

The organization cited relevant constitutional articles, such as Article 29, Article 49, and Article 238, which guarantee fundamental rights and regulate national security, respectively. Despite the decline in documented cases of enforced disappearances and police killings in 2025 compared to the previous year, Amnesty warned that the situation remains concerning, with 19 cases of enforced disappearance and 69 police killings recorded in 2026.

The organization also pointed out the lack of reparations for victims of enforced disappearance, despite the government's establishment of a reparations framework. Amnesty stressed that enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and excessive use of force have a chilling effect on civic participation and undermine Kenya's constitutional order, calling for effective accountability by security agencies.

Brief written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.