**Kenya Faces Resurgence of Abductions Amid Rising Political Tensions**

The Kenyan populace is grappling with fears that the country's dark history of state-sponsored abductions is returning, stoking political unrest and demanding accountability.

The reported abduction of more than 80 government critics in Kenya over the past six months has ignited a significant public outcry, harkening back to an era rife with human rights abuses. In response to these worrying developments, a judge has issued a stern warning to senior security officials, threatening them with imprisonment should they fail to appear in court for a third consecutive time regarding recent disappearance cases.

This scrutiny is tied to a disturbing report from Kenya's National Commission on Human Rights, noting that since nationwide protests erupted against proposed tax hikes last June, at least 24 individuals remain unaccounted for. While police and government authorities deny any involvement in such illegal detentions, many citizens express deep anxiety over a potential return to the oppressive practices of the past.

Both Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and Directorate of Criminal Investigations Director Mohamed Amin have been mandated to provide information in court about the abduction of seven social media influencers who vanished in December. Although five of them resurfaced in early January, their accounts paint a troubling picture. Among the released is 24-year-old Billy Mwangi, who, after enduring a terrifying abduction experience, reflects a sense of trauma that lingers beyond his physical return.

Witnesses say Billy was forcibly taken from a barber shop in Embu, dragged into vehicles by armed men. His father, Gerald, recalls the gut-wrenching moment he learned of his son's disappearance and the despair that followed. "Most weekends, we are together watching football," he lamented, acknowledging the drastic change in Billy’s demeanor since his return.

Similarly, Aslam and Jamil Longton, who spent 32 harrowing days in captivity, also emerged from their ordeal muted, fearful of retaliation for speaking out against their abductors. Aslam recalls the terror of regular beatings at the hands of his captors, who sought information about protest funding.

Despite government efforts to distance itself from these abductions, statements from officials suggest there may be a complex web of organized criminal elements with potential ties to political motives. However, critics—including journalist Gitobu Imanyara, who suffered under previous authoritarian regimes—assert that such tactics are reminiscent of past government oppression, warning that "the Moi playbook" appears to be in effect once more.

In the current climate, fears grow as thousands rally against state-sponsored violence, with constitutional protections affirming the right to dissent being notably tested. Reports of abductions have slowed recently, although no arrests have been made, and advocacy groups are pushing for these crimes to be investigated at an international level. For families such as that of Steve Mbisi, who remains missing, hope is fading. "We are so depressed, so devastated," his sister Stacey poignantly states, reflecting the haunting uncertainty that silence leaves behind.