By Fareed Mohammed
Grassroots human rights defender Davis Lichuma, popularly known as “Dife,” has been found alive but in critical condition after being reported missing for more than three days following demonstrations marking the second anniversary of the 2024 Gen Z protests.
Lichuma was found on Sunday night outside Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). Witnesses and medical personnel said he appeared severely disoriented and heavily sedated. Due to the severity of his condition, he was later transferred to Nairobi Women’s Hospital for specialized emergency treatment.
Witnesses who found the activist described his condition as alarming.
“He looked like he had been tortured and was very confused. I tried talking to him, but he could not respond,” one witness recounted shortly after Lichuma was found.
According to human rights groups, Lichuma disappeared during the anniversary demonstrations after he was allegedly apprehended in public. They claim he was never formally booked at Nairobi’s Central Police Station, raising concerns over his whereabouts during the period he was missing.
The Social Justice Centres Working Group (SJCWG) confirmed that Lichuma had been found and condemned what it described as a growing trend of enforced disappearances.
“The fact that Comrade Lichuma has now been found does not erase the grave questions surrounding his disappearance. Those who abducted him and any state officers who may have been involved must be identified and held accountable in accordance with the law,” the SJCWG said in a statement.
The organisation added:
“We will not accept silence, cover-ups or excuses. An injury to one is an injury to all.”
Civil society organisations said Lichuma was among seven activists who allegedly disappeared during the demonstrations. While five have since resurfaced, reportedly bearing signs of physical abuse, concerns remain over the whereabouts of several others who are still unaccounted for.
Before Lichuma was found, human rights defenders and prominent public figures had issued a 24-hour ultimatum demanding his immediate release.
In response to public concern, the National Police Service (NPS) confirmed that it had received a missing person’s report. Police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said the service was treating the matter seriously and appealed to the public to provide any information that could assist investigations.
“As a Service committed to accountability and transparency, we take these claims seriously. We therefore urge anyone with information or specific allegations of enforced disappearance, torture, or other human rights violations to report the matter immediately,” Nyaga said.
The incident has intensified calls for independent oversight bodies to conduct a transparent investigation into the alleged abductions, establish who was responsible, and determine where the activists were held during their disappearance.
The case has also renewed debate over the protection of human rights and the safety of activists during public demonstrations in Kenya.
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