UN wants answers about abductions in Kenya

In Kenya, 55 cases of abductions (disappearances) were reported in 2024, with a significant increase in June 2024. Some monthly breakdowns show 15 abductions in June, 11 in October, and seven each in July and August. Nairobi was considered the main hotspot, with 18 incidents in 2024. In 2025, abductions continued and reached a more alarming level. Since June 2024, over 80 people were reportedly abducted, many of whom were still missing as of early 2025. Reports indicate a persistent pattern of abductions linked to state agents and cross-border operations. Overall, enforced disappearances increased by 450%, from 10 in 2023 to 55 in 2024, and this trend continued through 2025, with no official being held accountable to date. Before these abductions, there was something else, something that triggered them: the demonstrations against the Finance Bill. In 2024 and 2025, Kenya saw significant demonstrations, largely driven by youth dissatisfaction with government policies, economic challenges, and police brutality. In 2024, the protests were primarily directed against the Kenyan Finance Bill 2024, which proposed tax increases on goods, services, and imports. Starting in mid-June, peaceful protests escalated into a major incident on June 25, 2024, when thousands of demonstrators stormed the Kenyan Parliament in Nairobi. This protest was sparked by opposition to the tax increases; demonstrators broke through police lines, damaged property, and set fire to parts of Parliament. Police responded with lethal force, killing at least 19 protesters in Nairobi and several more across the country. However, unrest and distrust of the government deepened, fueled by allegations of human rights abuses and political repression by the security forces during and after the protests. In 2025, violent protests erupted again starting in June after Albert Omondi Ojwang, a blogger and teacher, died in police custody shortly after being arrested for criticizing police leadership on social media. This event reignited youth-led demonstrations in Nairobi and other cities as public frustration grew over rising living costs, corruption, and persistent police brutality. The 2025 protests were largely decentralized, organized via social media by Generation Z Kenyans without formal leadership structures. They built on the momentum and grievances of the protests against the 2024 Finance Bill and reflect the ongoing socioeconomic challenges and demands for government accountability. These years-long protests highlight the ongoing tensions between Kenyan youth and the government, revolving around economic policy, governance issues, and human rights concerns. This summary captures the key events and dynamics of the demonstrations in Kenya in 2024 and 2025 based on available detailed reports. The United Nations has raised significant concerns about various kidnapping cases worldwide. In Kenya, there are unanswered questions and criticisms surrounding several kidnappings, particularly of young people who expressed anti-government sentiments on social media. Despite official denials and promises of investigations by the Kenyan authorities, no concrete progress or arrests have been reported, fueling fears of impunity and possible state complicity. The UN and Kenyan judicial authorities are demanding accountability and investigations, but the response remains inadequate. Kenya risks sanctions for ignoring UN inquiries into human rights violations related to abductions. @https://nation.africa/kenya/news/abductions-kenya-risks-sanctions-for-ignoring-un-queries-on-human-rights-abuses-5245882