Kenya: Update on the plight of activists Samson Ojiayo and Gordon Kamau Wang'oe

On 18 September I went to Industrial Area Prison to see Gordon Kamau Wang'oe and I think it is important that I share with you this. We talked and he narrated to me how they were arrested with Ojiayo at Ambassador Bus stop where they wanted to board a matatu (taxi) after attending a bunge la mwananchi at Jevenjee garden. When he asked the officers to identify themselves they grabbed them and pushed them into waiting vehicle. They then switched the volume of music full blast as they ordered them to stoop down. They were taken to an open field in Ngara in what looked like a school. He was removed from the car where they frisked him and took all his belonging which included a wallet that had fifteen thousand shillings. He was then laid on a pillow and a gun pointed on his head. They informed him that they were creating a scene of crime. The Abductors/police wanted to know if he could raise one million in an hour. He was told to use his phone to call and he called his friend Mr. Ngunjiri and told him he wanted the money to buy a tender. He called again to find out if Ngunjiri had found the money. When Ngunjiri asked him if the tender could wait until tomorrow he informed him if he dosnt get the tender it could cost him his survival.

They also turned to Ojiayo and asked him what he does and he informed them that he was a human rights activist and if they were genuinely arresting them to take them to a police station and book them in the OB. He was told to shut up or his head will be blown too.

They then bundled them back to the vehicle and drove them for sometime. They said they would take them to Karen and kill them. When they asked what they had done answered that they wanted them dead. 'mumetusumbua sana' (you have troubled us a lot) later they packed at a place where Kamau came to discover later that it was Gigiri police station parking. Ngunjiri called again and said he had two hundred thousand and wanted to know if they could take that and wait for the rest of the money in the morning. Kamau asked them how they wanted the money to be delivered and they asked him if he had a wife which he answered to the affirmative. They said the money could be delivered to the wife and then they could direct her how to get the money to them.

It was then that there was a message coming in from the Radio call they were holding and they all moved aside and listened and discussed. Kamau and Ojiayo were in the car with the driver. They later came back removed Kamau from the car and took him to the police station. It is then that he realised that they had been operating from the parking of the Gigiri police station from the time the car stopped.

The following morning he was picked by different police officers who took him to Central police station and he was informed that he will be charged at 2.00 pm. It is only when he met the Human rights Lawyer Hon. Muite that he was told that he was charged with being in possession of Bhang (marijuana).

Several questions arise from this report.

1. With the increase of kidnapping cases in the country, are the police the ones carrying them out?
2. Is it possible to trace the arresting officers and investigate this allegetions?
3. Can we trust the police?
4. How did the arresting know that the activist had marijuana?
5. What became of Kamau's money?
6. Who can answer this questions?
7. How safe are Kenyans if the law enforcers can abduct?
8. How safe are human rights activists?

Friends and colleagues, this is very disturbing. Can anyone there try to unravel this mess?

Beatrice G. Kamau

Executive Director

Social Reform Centre (SOREC)