Three days after he was found at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) following abduction, activist Davis Lichuma remains unable to explain what happened to him during the three days he was missing, deepening concerns over a spate of alleged abductions linked to the anti-government protests that rocked the country last week.
Preliminary medical examinations have revealed no visible physical injuries on the activist and doctors say his vital organs are intact. However, his family says further specialised tests will be conducted to determine his condition and establish what transpired between June 25 and June 28.
Lichuma disappeared on June 25, the first anniversary of the anti-Finance Bill protests that culminated in the storming of Parliament in 2024. The anniversary demonstrations were marked by fresh protests in Nairobi and other towns, where thousands of young Kenyans took to the streets to protest police brutality, alleged extrajudicial killings, abductions and the high cost of living.
Human rights groups and legal organisations said dozens of protesters were arrested during the demonstrations, while several people sustained injuries in confrontations with police. Civil society organisations also documented cases of alleged disappearances and enforced abductions in the days surrounding the protests.
Lichuma, a vocal participant in recent demonstrations and an outspoken defender of constitutional rights, was reported missing by his family after he failed to return home on June 25. His whereabouts remained unknown until June 28, when he was found at KNH in a confused and disoriented state.
For a third consecutive day, the activist remained largely unresponsive and unable to communicate coherently with family members and visitors.
Relatives said he has only complained of pain in one of his legs and around his wrist.
The absence of visible injuries has raised further concern among family members and political leaders, some of whom believe he may have been subjected to forms of torture that leave no physical marks.
"There are aggressive ways of carrying out torture that are not observable, and we will need experts to tell us exactly what may have been done to this young man," stated Siaya Governor James Orengo.
Although doctors have not identified any obvious physical injuries, opposition leaders maintained that Lichuma's mental state points to possible trauma.
"Even though he does not have visible injuries and doctors have examined him, the greatest pain he appears to be suffering from is the trauma of torture because he is still not fully conscious," stated Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka.
The leaders described Lichuma's case as emblematic of what they say is a growing pattern of repression and called for comprehensive investigations into all reported cases of enforced disappearances and abductions.
"We must bring to an end what is happening in our country. Abductions should not happen in a free and fair democracy. The government should come out clearly and explain what happened," Orengo stated.
"We have an administration that says on one hand that there will be no more abductions, yet abduction squads continue to operate unabated. We want to make it clear to President William Ruto that these crimes will not go unpunished," Kalonzo noted.
Critics of President William Ruto's administration and several civil society organisations have accused the government of presiding over a shrinking democratic space, citing alleged enforced disappearances, police brutality and the use of excessive force against protesters since the Gen Z-led demonstrations began in 2024.
Human rights groups have repeatedly demanded independent investigations into allegations of abductions and extrajudicial actions by security agencies and have called for accountability for officers implicated in abuses.
The opposition leaders also criticised the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), arguing that despite having records of alleged cases of police excesses dating back to 2024, little progress has been made in securing justice for victims.
"IPOA has these records and the officers involved are known. What is lacking is the will to hold these officers accountable, and that is why the killings will continue as long as President William Ruto's administration protects these officers," stated DAP-Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa.
"IPOA, please do your job because you are making it very difficult for us to defend the government if these incidents continue to dominate the news every day. IPOA, do your job," added Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru.
Police on Monday said they were investigating all reported cases of abduction and assault raised by sections of civil society.
Lichuma has since been discharged from Nairobi Women's Hospital, but investigators and his family are still seeking answers to the mystery surrounding his disappearance and the circumstances that left him traumatised and unable to account for the three days he was missing.
