IG Kanja denies police involvement in Alex Kiprotich abduction, orders investigation
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has denied claims that officers from the National Police Service were involved in the reported abduction of Standard Group Associate Editor Alex Kiprotich.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has denied claims that officers from the National Police Service were involved in the reported abduction of Standard Group Associate Editor Alex Kiprotich.
Kanja said the police service had no involvement in the incident and directed the relevant security units to investigate the circumstances surrounding the journalist’s disappearance and identify the armed individuals who allegedly took him.
Kiprotich was reportedly seized on Tuesday night, September 1, along the Gilgil-Nakuru Road after his vehicle was intercepted by armed men. According to reports, the attackers forced him out of his car before driving away with him in another vehicle.
The journalist was later found safe near Masinga Dam in Machakos County, more than 200 kilometres from where he was reportedly taken. His ordeal has sparked widespread concern among journalists, human rights groups and political leaders, particularly because of the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
The National Police Service said its Anti-Abduction Unit had been directed to establish what happened and determine the identities of the people involved.
Kanja ordered investigators to examine reports that heavily armed individuals stopped the vehicle and ordered its occupants out before taking Kiprotich away. Police have not publicly identified the suspects or disclosed whether any arrests have been made.
Kiprotich’s employer, the Standard Group, has linked the incident to his work as a journalist. Reuters reported that the abductors allegedly demanded information about the newspaper’s sources. The journalist had also reportedly escaped an earlier abduction attempt in June.
The police denial comes amid growing public debate over alleged abductions and the involvement of security officers in cases targeting government critics and journalists. Authorities have repeatedly denied operating unlawful abduction units outside the established police command.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has nevertheless alleged that the men involved in Kiprotich’s abduction were part of a rogue group of police officers operating outside Kanja’s command. He has claimed that the group receives instructions from senior government officials, allegations that have not been independently verified.
The allegations have intensified pressure on the government to ensure that the investigation is independent, credible and capable of identifying those responsible.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has also directed security agencies to pursue those behind the incident, describing the abduction as unlawful and unacceptable.
As investigations continue, attention is now focused on establishing who organised the operation, the motive behind Kiprotich’s abduction and whether the suspects had any connection to state security agencies.
For the media fraternity, the case has become another test of Kenya’s commitment to protecting journalists and safeguarding freedom of expression. The outcome of the investigation is expected to determine whether those responsible will ultimately be brought to justice.
