Lawyer and activist Morara Kebaso was arrested on Monday after police officers conducted a raid at his main office in Kahawa Sukari, Nairobi.
The circumstances surrounding his arrest remain unclear, raising concerns among his supporters and the public.
Kebaso’s lawyer, who followed the police to the Nairobi Regional Headquarters, reported that access to his client was severely restricted.
“They have strict instructions from higher authorities not to allow anyone lawyers, media personnel, or any other individuals to see Morara,” the lawyer told reporters.
“What kind of police force is this? They have shown no respect for the Constitution or the rule of law.
This reflects a system that is rotten from the top down, starting with the Minister of Interior, and we must condemn it in the strongest terms.”
As news of his arrest spread, many Kenyans took to social media, labeling the incident as an abduction.
Witnesses alleged that a Subaru Forester was used during the incident.
Videos circulating online show the vehicle traveling along the Thika Superhighway shortly after Kebaso’s arrest.
Over the weekend, Kebaso had been active in Bomet and Kericho counties, conducting civic education rallies and highlighting stalled government projects in areas traditionally supportive of the President.
Just an hour before his detention, he posted a video on his X account denouncing the brutal abduction and torture of Mombasa-based blogger Bruce John.
In the video, Kebaso detailed how Bruce was seized by 20 individuals under the pretense of taking him to apologize to the Mombasa Governor.
Instead, he was tortured and sexually assaulted, never making it to the governor as planned.
Kebaso had issued a stern ultimatum to Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, demanding the arrest of the governor for alleged complicity in Bruce’s ordeal.
“The governor should be investigated and arrested. If this is not done, I am ready to suspend all activities for nationwide demonstrations,” his last post read before his arrest.
As calls for accountability grow, civil society groups are rallying to demand transparency in Kebaso’s detention and the ongoing investigations into the reported abuses against activists.
This incident raises significant concerns about the treatment of dissenting voices in Kenya and the potential implications for civil liberties in the country.
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