US Report Exposes Kenya’s Role in Besigye Abduction Despite Denials
The report, released this week, paints a grim picture of Kenya’s human rights record in 2024. It accuses the government of transnational repression, brutality during protests, and undermining democratic freedoms.
Covert Cooperation Across Borders
According to the findings, Kenya has been collaborating with foreign governments to silence political dissent.
“There were reports the government knowingly cooperated with other governments to facilitate their acts of transnational repression,” the report stated.
One example cited involved a registered Ugandan refugee living in Kenya. He was arrested in Kisumu alongside 36 members of a Ugandan opposition group. They were forcibly returned to Uganda in a joint security operation.
Besigye’s Dramatic Abduction
The most explosive claim centers on Besigye’s arrest in Nairobi on November 16.
“Kizza Besigye, leader of another Ugandan opposition party, was kidnapped by Ugandan agents while visiting Nairobi,” the report said.
“Kenyan government officials claimed they were unaware of the abduction, but Ugandan authorities maintained it was a coordinated action.”
Instead, he was seized on his way and has since remained in Ugandan police custody. Authorities there have refused to release him.
Kenya’s Official Denial
Kenya’s Foreign Principal Secretary, Sing’oei Korir, dismissed the allegations last year.
“There was no reason whatsoever for Kenya to be a party in his nabbing,” Korir declared in November.
However, the U.S. report flatly contradicts this statement, asserting Kenya’s active involvement.
Wider Human Rights Concerns
Beyond Besigye’s case, the report also flagged a worsening human rights climate in Kenya. It cited the violent suppression of Gen Z protests and unresolved abductions inside the country.
The report acknowledged Kenya’s cooperation with the UNHCR and humanitarian groups in aiding refugees. But it warned of major gaps
.
“The backlog for refugee status determination continued to grow, leaving an estimated 212,000 asylum seekers without full legal protection,” the document noted.
Mounting Pressure on Nairobi
The revelations now place the Kenyan government in an uncomfortable spotlight. With the U.S. openly challenging its denials, questions on accountability are expected to grow louder—both at home and abroad.
ALSO READ: Kizza Besigye’s Wife Winnie Denies Leaking Museveni’s Son Muhoozi’s Alleged Birth Certificate
US Report Exposes Kenya’s Role in Besigye Abduction Despite Denials
