A heated exchange erupted between Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya and Kikuyu Member of Parliament Kimani Ichung’wah during the burial of Mama Anne Nanyama, the mother of National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula.
Taking the podium, Governor Natembeya called on President William Ruto to intervene and stop abductions, arguing that there was no justification for targeting state critics.
His remarks countered an earlier claim by Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli, who alleged that some youth were falsely claiming abductions to attract funding from civil society organizations.
“I say this with a very heavy heart. For a leader to stand here and say that people are abducting and killing themselves is unfortunate. Our children are being abducted, and some are being killed. We should not cover up the basic truth,” Natembeya stated.
The governor further acknowledged the prevalence of online abuse by youth, including insults on social media, but stressed that such behavior did not warrant abductions or extrajudicial killings.
“The youth are abusing people on social media. On my social media platforms, 8 out of 10 comments are insults. That needs to change. But if it cannot change, people do not need to be killed or abducted because of it,” Natembeya added.
In response, a defiant Ichung’wah accused Natembeya of hypocrisy, pointing to his tenure as a Regional Commissioner during the previous administration, which faced allegations of abductions and extrajudicial killings.
“The kind of politics you’re engaging in is meant to divide people on the basis of ethnicity. We will not be cowed,” Ichung’wah fired back.
The confrontation highlighted the ongoing debate of abductions in the Country where the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said at least 82 people have been kidnapped by “unidentified armed individuals” since the start of anti-government protests in June, with 29 still unaccounted for.
President William Ruto, who also attended the burial, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ending extrajudicial killings and all forms of criminality.
“Whether undertaken by citizens, criminals or the police, it must be investigated and we must get to the bottom of any criminal activity in Kenya,” he said.
