Gabriel Oguda and at least nine others were reportedly detained on Tuesday, June 25, during overnight operations ahead of protests against the Finance Bill. Officials cited these detentions as part of efforts to preempt the planned demonstrations against proposed taxes.

Gabriel Oguda, a prominent social media and political activist, was among those taken into custody. His brother, Zachary Oguda, confirmed the abduction in a tweet early Tuesday morning: “I can confirm that my brother has been taken by unknown gunmen from his house 5 minutes ago. Any tweets coming from Gabriel Oguda were already scheduled. HE ISN’T SAFE.”

Osama Otero, known for his popular X Spaces opposing the Finance Bill 2024, was also reportedly abducted around the same time. Other individuals believed to have been detained include Drey Mwangi, TemperCR7, Harriet, Shad, Franje, Worldsmith, and Hilla254.

Concerns escalated as families and friends voiced outrage over the disappearances allegedly orchestrated by state agents.

In what seemed like a coordinated operation, Osama Otero tweeted about suspicious individuals at his home at nearly the same time as Oguda: “Guys are outside where I am,” his last viral post read.

Police have not officially addressed these events, prompting criticism from Kenyans planning to participate in the protests who deemed the actions provocative.

Following the detention of Gabriel Oguda and Osama Otero, a groundswell of support emerged on social media with hashtags #FreeOguda and #FreeOsama quickly gaining traction as the second and third most trending topics in Kenya.

Meanwhile, the hashtag #RejectFinanceBill2024 had already gone global with 3.59 million posts by Tuesday morning, making it the top trending topic in East Africa.

The Law Society of Kenya, led by President Faith Odhiambo, issued a statement urging the public to remain vigilant and share any information regarding the whereabouts of those detained. Amidst this backdrop, protesters are gearing up for marches across the country to protest against the proposed taxes.

These developments coincide with Members of Parliament preparing to vote on the tax proposals amidst heightened security measures.