A fifth youth, allegedly abducted at the end of 2024, was released on Monday by the supposed kidnappers.
Gideon Kibet, a cartoonist known as Bull, revealed that he was abandoned at dawn in Luanda, Vihiga County, on January 6. This location is about 350km from his Kikuyu home area, where he was reportedly abducted.
Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah, who had met with Bull shortly before his disappearance, shared details of their phone conversation following the release.
ALSO READ: Cartoonist Kibet Bull freed two weeks after abduction
“I had the joy of speaking with Kibet Bull this evening. He sounded resilient and triumphant rather than subdued. He briefly explained how he was abducted,” Omtatah stated.
Bull recounted being blindfolded and bundled into a vehicle after leaving the senator’s office and heading to Kikuyu. He was held in a small locked room without food.
Omtatah emphasized, “The fight against abductions must continue until all victims are freed and justice is served.”
ALSO READ: 4 abducted youth released as Kibet Bull’s whereabouts remain unknown
The incident comes amidst public outrage directed at the government, which denies involvement, over the disappearance of multiple youth during the Christmas period. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) reported that 82 individuals had gone missing since June 2024, during Gen Z-led protests, with 29 still unaccounted for by late December.
On Monday morning, four other abductees also reported being released in different locations:
- Billy Mwangi, a college student, was found in Embu.
- Peter Muteti reappeared in Nairobi CBD after vanishing in Uthiru on December 21.
- Bernard Kavuli presented himself at Moi’s Bridge Police Station in Trans Nzoia, far from his Ngong home in Kajiado County.
- Rony Kiplangat, Bull’s brother, was located in Machakos County.
Bull later shared his ordeal on social media, saying, “They dropped me in Luanda, Vihiga, at 3-4 am. I didn’t know where to go or where to book a room.”
The coordinated releases have fueled speculation, with families and rights groups demanding accountability and action against such abductions.
