Abducted activists recount 48-hour torture ordeal in hands of masked men

Human rights activists  Collins Ochieng and Frederick  Ojiro who were among the six human rights activists released on June 27 2026 at the Nairobi Women's Hospital. [David Gichuru,Standard]

Their tales reveal painful experiences at the hands of abductors, who allegedly tortured and threatened them while demanding to know why they were protesting and who was funding them to tarnish the image of the Kenya Kwanza administration.

Fredrick Ojiro Odhiambo, Michael Ngige alias ‘Jomo Kenyatta Junior’, Muteti Mulinge, Collins Ochieng and Elijah Alam were receiving treatment at Nairobi Women's Hospital. They are suffering from injuries including groin, joint, chest and abdominal pains.

The whereabouts of Davis Lichuma remained unknown by Saturday evening after his colleagues were abandoned at different locations along Ngong Road in Nairobi.

The activists said they were picked up by plainclothes police officers outside Parliament Buildings on Thursday after laying wreaths to mark the second anniversary of the Gen Z protests, which left at least 65 dead.

“We were bundled into a police truck at around 11am on Thursday, and it sped off towards Central Police Station, but it did not stop there. Two officers alighted, checked into the station and then we proceeded to Parklands,” said Odhiambo

“There, we made another stop at the gate of Parklands Police Station, where one of the officers got out. After making several phone calls, he returned to the vehicle, and we proceeded past Limuru towards Naivasha-Nakuru highway," he said.

At the time, there were only six activists in the truck alongside about eight police officers. The activists claimed they drove for about half an hour before the vehicle stopped at an undisclosed location along the highway.

“That was around 1pm. The officers then forced us to alight before the truck turned around and drove away, leaving us alone,” Odhiambo narrated.

“Before we could make any calls, three Subaru Outbacks arrived and we were bundled into the boots in pairs. Our mobile phones were then confiscated,” added Collins Otieno, another victim.

Human rights activist Christine Lubanga  who was among the six human rights activists released on June 27 2026 at the Nairobi Women's Hospital. [David Gichuru,Standard]

The activists alleged that the occupants of the vehicles were masked and armed with rifles. They said the men ordered them to lie down and warned them against making any movements.

“Each of us was placed in a separate room and subjected to beatings, including kicks and blows. Later, we were served ugali and plain cabbage,” one of the victims said.

The activists alleged that their captors repeatedly questioned them about why they were embarrassing the President and pressured them to reveal who was sponsoring them.

Ngige was in too much pain to recount his ordeal. He had just undergone a CT scan to determine the extent of his injuries.

“Every part of my body is aching — my head, waist, back and the rest of my body. I cannot talk much at the moment. What I need now is proper medical attention and treatment,” Ngige said.

Several civil society organisations that visited the victims in hospital accused the state of violating the rights of Kenyans during the second anniversary of the Gen Z protests.

“It is concerning that most of them were allegedly tortured and held hostage without their consent. These incidents continue to occur when Kenyans are exercising their constitutional rights,” said Irene Soila, Programmes Officer at the Kenya Human Rights Commission.

“It has been a difficult and tumultuous 48 hours since our colleagues were picked up outside Parliament Buildings while we were commemorating the Gen Z protesters who were killed by police officers,” said Hussein Khalid, Chief Executive of Vocal Africa.

The organisations accused the National Police Service of treating the activists in an inhumane and cruel manner instead of providing security to Kenyans.

“If there was any doubt that the National Police Service is a murderous, cruel and brutal institution, that doubt must now be erased from the minds of Kenyans,” Khalid said.