Missing Activist Davis Lichuma Found Alive, Rights Groups Allege Abduction and Torture
It also demanded answers regarding who allegedly abducted Lichuma, where he was held, who ordered his alleged torture and why he was abandoned.
Activist Davis Lichuma receiving treatment in a hospital. Photo/Courtesy.
By Robert Mutasi
Activist Davis Lichuma, who had been reported missing after protests in Nairobi last week, has been found alive, with rights groups alleging that he was abducted, tortured and abandoned before being admitted to hospital.
The Social Justice Centres Working Group said in a statement that Lichuma was found in critical condition after he was allegedly dumped at Kenyatta National Hospital. According to the group, he was later transferred to Nairobi Women’s Hospital for specialized treatment.
The organization alleged that Lichuma had been subjected to severe torture during the period he was missing and described the incident as part of a pattern of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial abuses.
The group called for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and treatment, urging authorities to identify and prosecute those responsible.
“We will not accept silence, cover-ups or excuses. An injury to one is an injury to all,” the organization said in a statement.
It also demanded answers regarding who allegedly abducted Lichuma, where he was held, who ordered his alleged torture and why he was abandoned.
According to fellow activists, Lichuma was unable to explain where he had been since Thursday, when he was reportedly taken away.
He was among seven activists who, according to rights groups, were detained near Parliament during a protest before being transported to an undisclosed location.
The six other activists were reportedly abandoned along Langata Road on Saturday morning. They later told colleagues they had been assaulted before being taken to hospital for treatment.
The activists alleged that police officers were responsible for the abuse. The National Police Service has previously denied involvement in enforced disappearances and torture.
Before Lichuma was found, the National Police Service confirmed receiving a missing person’s report that had been filed at Central Police Station in Nairobi.
Police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said the service takes allegations of enforced disappearances and other human rights violations seriously and urged members of the public with relevant information to report the matter to the nearest police station to facilitate investigations.
“All reports will be investigated thoroughly, professionally, impartially and expeditiously, in accordance with the law,” Nyaga said in an earlier statement.
He added that the National Police Service remains committed to professional policing, respect for constitutional rights and adherence to legal procedures in all its operations.
“The National Police Service remains fully dedicated to professional policing that serves and protects all Kenyans, residents and visitors. We uphold the constitutional rights of every person and strictly follow all legal procedures in our operations,” the statement said.
Authorities had not immediately commented on the latest allegations concerning Lichuma’s condition or the circumstances under which he was found. It also remained unclear whether investigators had interviewed him following his hospitalization.
The case comes amid heightened public scrutiny over allegations of enforced disappearances, unlawful detentions and torture following recent anti-government demonstrations. Human rights organizations have repeatedly called for independent investigations into the claims, while police have maintained they are committed to accountability and have denied institutional involvement in such abuses.
Investigations into Lichuma’s disappearance are expected to determine the events leading to his reported abduction, his period of disappearance and the circumstances surrounding his recovery.
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