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Families of 4 missing youths stage protest in Nairobi, demand answers
06th August, 2026 02:29 PM
The families of four youths who went missing more than a month ago staged a protest in Nairobi’s Central Business District on Thursday, August 6, 2026, demanding answers over the whereabouts of their relatives.
Carrying placards and chanting slogans, the families called on the government and security agencies to explain what happened to Macmilan Kiarie, Michael Oloo, Evans Otieno, and Abdulaziz Ali, whom they say disappeared after being arrested by police officers.
The demonstrators marched through sections of the CBD and appealed for urgent investigations into the disappearance of the four youths, saying they have spent weeks searching for them in police stations, hospitals, mortuaries, and other government offices without success.
According to the families, the four have been missing for more than a month, and no official communication has been provided regarding their whereabouts.
IPOA remarks on Police brutality
The protest comes months after the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) launched investigations into allegations of excessive use of force, abductions and police misconduct during the June 25, 2026 Gen-Z commemoration protests that were held in several parts of the country, including Nairobi and Mombasa.
In a statement, IPOA said it is reviewing multiple incidents arising from the demonstrations, including the use of tear gas, alleged unlawful arrests, injuries and claims that some police officers operated while concealing their identities.
“The Authority has continued to receive and verify reports, including allegations of missing persons, abductions, detention, and physical assaults on persons arrested during the protests,” IPOA said.
The authority said it conducted a nationwide monitoring exercise during the protests in line with Section 6 of the IPOA Act, which mandates it to oversee policing operations involving members of the public.
Preliminary findings indicate that police implemented public order management measures, including erecting barricades along major roads in Nairobi and Mombasa, where limited protests were recorded. IPOA also noted the use of teargas and acoustic devices to disperse crowds in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD), alongside efforts by officers to engage protesters directly in a bid to de-escalate tensions.
However, the authority expressed concern over reports that some officers wore balaclavas, operated in plain clothes while armed, and used vehicles with concealed registration plates, saying such actions may have violated existing court orders.
