Muturi warns Kenya sliding into authoritarianism over rising abductions by security agencies
Muturi raised concerns that security agencies, especially the DCI, have abandoned legal procedures and are instead relying on fear and brute force.
Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary and current chairperson of the People’s Restorative Justice Commission, Justin Muturi, has accused the Kenyan government of escalating the use of illegal abductions to silence dissent, warning that the country is drifting toward authoritarianism.
Recently sworn in as chairperson, Muturi now heads the citizen‑led commission dedicated to tackling historical injustices and state‑sponsored abuses.
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He raised concerns that security agencies, especially the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), have abandoned legal procedures and are instead relying on fear and brute force.
He claimed that officers were detaining individuals without informing them of the reasons for their arrest, denying them access to legal counsel, and failing to present them before a court within the constitutionally required 24 hours.
Muturi stated that these actions violate Article 49 of the Constitution and cannot be considered lawful policing, but rather constitute state-sponsored abductions.
“Who gave the police the responsibility to abandon the criminal procedure as we know it? Who authorised the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to substitute the law with fear, procedure with brute force, and the Constitution with terror?” Muturi asked. “ In a functioning democracy, law enforcement follows the law.”
Normalising terror
He further noted that the line between lawful arrests and forced disappearances is becoming dangerously blurred, making it increasingly difficult for citizens to distinguish between legitimate law enforcement and unlawful harassment.
“What’s most alarming is how society is starting to normalise this terror, treating abductions as everyday occurrences while the media unquestioningly calls them arrests, ”Muturi said.
“When we fail to name these abductions for what they are, we participate in the erosion of our own freedoms. When we shrug at the sight of unmarked vehicles snatching young people from the streets for participating in protests, we betray the Constitution we swore to uphold,” Muturi said.
Muturi alleged that these operations were often politically motivated, targeting government critics, activists, and protestors.
Power through repression
He stated that the use of force in place of a lawful summons demonstrated not a commitment to security, but a strategy to preserve power through repression.
“It is no coincidence that the same state that has failed to provide jobs, cut the cost of living, or deliver justice is now deploying force to suppress those who dare to speak out. This is not about crime prevention. It is about power preservation.”
He called on President William Ruto and the Ministry of Interior to take full responsibility for the actions of rogue police officers. He urged the government to disband covert arrest units and reaffirm its commitment to constitutional order.
Muturi warned that failure to act would not only erode public trust but also endanger the rights and freedoms of all Kenyans.
He emphasised that defending constitutional protections was a civic duty that transcended political affiliation.
He warned that such actions signal a dangerous shift toward authoritarianism and pose a serious threat to constitutional democracy.
"If they fail to do so, they risk taking Kenya down a dark, irreversible path."
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