Former Chief Justice David Maraga has faulted President William Ruto for failing to apologise to the families of Kenyans who have been victims of abductions and enforced disappearances. Speaking in response to the President’s recent remarks dismissing the existence of missing persons, Maraga said the statement was deeply insensitive and ignored the pain of grieving families.
President Ruto, during a joint press briefing with Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Monday, claimed that all abducted persons had been returned home. “All the people who disappeared or were abducted have been brought back to their families and their homes,” Ruto said, adding that such incidents would not occur under his leadership.
However, Maraga challenged this assertion, noting that no apology had been issued to the victims’ families. “It is unconscionable to hear the President claim, without any apology to the victims, parents, and families, that there are no ongoing incidents of enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings,” Maraga said. “Such utterances are deeply hurtful, especially to parents still mourning the loss of their children.”
He cited the case of Brian Odhiambo, who has been missing for four months, as evidence that not all victims have been accounted for. Maraga also referenced the petition launched by bereaved parents on Mother’s Day, calling for justice for youths allegedly killed during the June 2024 anti-Finance Bill protests.
A recent report by rights group Missing Voices recorded 55 cases of enforced disappearances in 2024, with June—during the height of the Gen Z-led protests—being the worst month, recording 15 cases. The report highlights that accountability remains elusive due to the nature of the operations, often carried out by unidentified, hooded individuals in unmarked vehicles without license plates.
Maraga, now a vocal critic of the government, urged the state to acknowledge the pain of affected families and to prioritise transparency and justice. He stressed that failing to account for missing persons and dismissing their families’ concerns only deepens the crisis of trust between citizens and the government.
