Veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho speaks after being released by the police who said his abduction was a mistaken identity.
Gaitho says the experience is awful and that ‘we cannot go back to the error of dictatorship, police state, rogue cops who abduct people left right and center’.
“It is extremely traumatizing because when you are abducted by unknown people who do not identify themselves. When I asked them to identify themselves or who they are, their response was that they have a Subaru, so I should know they are police,” He shared.
The journalist was violently abducted earlier outside Karen Police Station where he drove after noticing a Subaru was trailing him.
The former Managing Editor, Special Projects for the Daily Nation was with his son in the car who recorded the events.
In the video, the journalist is dramatically pushed into a white Toyota Probox by individuals in civilian clothes as police watched.
However, her daughter Anita Gaither has shared on X saying she’s with her father at Karen police station and he was safe.
“I’m with my dad @MachariaGaitho. He’s just been brought to Karen police station by the car that abducted him. He’s safe although they roughed him up a bit. We’re making the abduction report right now,” Anita Gaitho.
I’m with my dad @MachariaGaitho He’s just been brought to Karen police station by the car that abducted him. He’s safe although they roughed him up a bit. We’re making the abduction report right now.
— Anita Gaitho (@SiriStudioAnita) July 17, 2024
She added that the police at Karen have refused to take statement over the abduction telling them to go to DCI headquarters.
“Over an hour later and they’ve refused to take @MachariaGaitho‘s statement here in Karen Police Station.”
“They’re insisting on us going to DCI headquarters. We’ve said no. They’re sending the DCIO from Langata police station to take the statement,” she added.
Macharia Gaitho has been released police saying it was a mistaken identity.
Abductions have continued to be reported in the country despite being condemned and ruled unlawful by court.
Kenyans and especially those who have been actively participating in the ongoing countrywide protests have fallen victims of the abductions.
Some have been released, others driven and left to far places from their residence.
Others are reportedly killed and dumped in different places while others are yet to be located.
Those released give horrifying stories of what they went through in the hands of their abductors.
Most say they undergo torture and forced to ask questions they don’t have answers to.
Also Read: LSK Demands Release Of Paul ‘Jiji’ Mwangi Who Was Allegedly Abducted At 5am