Inspector General Douglas Kanja
The National Police Service (NPS) has acknowledged receiving a missing person report for activist Davis Lichuma.
In a statement on Sunday, June 28, NPS pledged to investigate the matter alongside allegations of enforced disappearances and torture circulating on social media.
The service said it had taken note of claims circulating in both mainstream and social media regarding alleged enforced disappearances, torture, and other human rights violations.
NPS urged anyone with information on the missing persons and human rights violations to report the matter to the nearest police station.
“As a Service committed to accountability and transparency, we take these claims seriously. We therefore urge anyone with information or specific allegations of enforced disappearance, torture, or other human rights violations to report the matter immediately at the nearest police station,” the statement read.
NPS also confirmed that a missing person report had been filed for activist Davis Lichuma at Nairobi’s Central Police Station.
“We acknowledge receipt of a report of a missing person, namely Davis Lichuma, which was made at Central Police Station in Nairobi,” the statement added.
This comes after growing concern from human rights groups, political leaders, and activists who have demanded answers over Lichuma’s whereabouts following the June 25 Gen Z anniversary demonstrations.
Former Chief Justice David Maraga on Sunday demanded Lichuma’s immediate production, alleging that the activist went missing after participating in a peaceful procession held in Nairobi to commemorate victims of the Gen Z protests.
“On June 25, we assembled to hold a peaceful procession in Nairobi to commemorate the lives lost during Genz protests over the past two years.
“We were violently dispersed, and some of our fellow citizens were arrested at Parliament later; some were released with accounts of torture in police hands. One Davis Lichuma is still missing. We demand his production immediately,’ said Maraga.
The former CJ also issued several demands to Inspector General Douglas Kanja, including ensuring that all officers deployed during public operations are clearly identifiable, establishing and publicly communicating command responsibility for public order operations, and fully respecting the constitutional right to peaceful assembly.
Further, Maraga called on the police to account for all persons reported missing following last week’s procession.
