Veteran Journalist Macharia Gaitho Abducted Outside Police Station

Veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho has violently been arrested outside Karen Police Station.

The former Managing Editor, Special Projects for the Daily Nation, drove there after noticing a Subaru was trailing him.

The son, who was with him in the car, recorded the events.

In a video seen by this writer, the journalist is dramatically pushed into a white Toyota Probox by individuals in civilian clothes as police watched.

However, in a statement, Director of Criminal Investigations Amin Mohamed clarified that Gaitho’s arrest was a case of mistaken identity. He has since been released.

This incident follows a series of abductions linked to anti-government demonstrations that began in protest against the ‘punitive’ Finance Bill, 2024.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) reports that a total of 59 people have been abducted or are missing.

“The number of those arbitrarily arrested is at 682. We condemn the abductions and arrests and demand an immediate and unconditional release of all the illegally detained persons in relation to the protests,” the commission’s Chairperson Roseline Odede said.

KNCHR added that it has sought court orders for Habeas Corpus to seek accountability for missing and abducted persons.