Varsity students' leaders declare fresh wave of protests over abductions

Kenya University Students Association official Teddy Osano addresses the press

University students have announced that they will stage countrywide protests beginning January 15 over rising cases of abductions.

Through their national umbrella body- the Kenya University Students Association (KUSA), the learners claimed that they would be calling for an end to abductions.

Addressing the press, Kusa officials led by Omin Osano claimed that most of the abductees were the association’s members.

Kusa alleged that the government has failed to outline measures taken to end abductions, an extrajudicial action they said has hit the crescendo.

“We are calling for protests because the government has failed to act on the increasing instances of abductions targeting Kenyan youth, the majority of whom belong to their Kusa,’’ Osano said.

Kusa said the fresh wave of protests will coincide with the reopening of most of the universities for the New Academic Year.

''Revolution is the voice of the unheard; revolution is the voice of the majority silenced and pressed. We are announcing that immediately the comrades of the universities resume, including the lecturers and staffers, we are going to stage demonstrations in the republic of Kenya,'' Osano declared.

The students’ officials wondered why the government is neither condemning the abductions nor instituting mechanisms to bring to an end the worrying trend.

“It is unfortunate that the government has done little to crack down on the instances of abductions, subjecting many families to untold suffering and pain,’’ Osano said.

The threats by university students come hours after five young Kenyan men—including a popular cartoonist(Gideon 'Bull' Kibet)—who went missing just before the Christmas holidays were found alive.

The abductions, which allegedly targeted government critics, began in June last year during nationwide anti-tax protests.

The abductions, however, increased in December, when AI-generated photos started doing the rounds.

Those released  by their alleged abductors on Monday include 24-year-old student Billy Mwangi, Kibet Bull, known for his silhouette cartoons, 22-year-old Peter Muteti, Ronny Kiplangat, and Bernard Kavuli.

On Tuesday, the university students’ officials said the abduction cases should be handed over to the International Criminal Court, citing the Rome Statute, which Kenya is party to.

''The Constitution of Kenya 2010, under Articles 29 and 49, clearly states that abductions are unlawful. International Criminal Law also recognises the same, providing a clause for such cases to be tried at the ICC,'' Osano said.

The students’ officials said they would use the countrywide protests to pressure the government to pay lectures their delayed salaries.

“Students will come out in large numbers and paralyse business activities across the country,’’ Osano said.