Police officers have officially received a report on the disappearance of Mathare-based social justice activist Davis Lichuma, who went missing on June 25, 2026, during commemorations marking the second anniversary of the Gen Z protests.
In a statement on Sunday, the National Police Service (NPS) acknowledged receiving a missing person report filed at the Central Police Station in Nairobi.
Police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga assured the public that the Service takes such claims seriously and urged anyone with information regarding enforced disappearances, torture, or other human rights violations to report the matter immediately at the nearest police station.
Lichuma, a member of the Social Justice Centre, had attended the June 25 protests when he was reportedly picked up by unknown persons.
His mother, Margaret Lichuma, told a press conference held at the Mathare Ghetto Foundation that her son had visited home on June 24 and asked her to pray for him, acknowledging that his participation in the protests carried personal risk.
She was later informed that Lichuma had been arrested and directed to file a report at Pangani Police Station, but her son remains unaccounted for. Margaret also disclosed that her son had a pre-existing stab wound on his abdomen, raising further concern about his condition and whether he is receiving any medical attention while in custody.
Activists and human rights defenders on Sunday issued the government a 24-hour ultimatum to produce Lichuma, warning that failure to comply will trigger a fresh wave of street demonstrations on Tuesday.
The demands were made at a press briefing where community members, families of the missing, and prominent rights advocates gathered to condemn what they described as a surge in enforced disappearances targeting activists in the Mathare area.
The Mathare community has also raised cases of at least three other missing individuals. One of them, Maximilian, popularly known as Maxy, disappeared on June 20 after CCTV footage captured a vehicle without number plates picking him up from outside his gate as he was preparing to leave for work.
Another individual identified only as Zizo was reportedly taken on June 23 by men driving a double-cabin vehicle.
Human rights activist Hussein Khalid said the pattern of abductions pointed directly to state involvement. "We know Davis Lichuma has been a member of the Social Justice Centre. He was taken in clear violation of his rights. We know those who took them are police," Khalid said.
Former Chief Justice David Maraga, who attended the briefing in solidarity, delivered a sharp rebuke of the government, saying the disappearances were part of a broader pattern of constitutional disregard.
"We have a government that does not listen to its people, does not respect the constitution, and does not respect the law," Maraga said.
The NPS has since said it is investigating allegations of enforced disappearances and torture circulating in mainstream and social media, guaranteeing that all reports will be investigated thoroughly, professionally, impartially, and expeditiously in accordance with the law.
The Service reiterated its commitment to professional policing, respect for human rights, and adherence to the Constitution.
Meanwhile, five other activists who were arrested alongside Lichuma on Thursday outside Parliament have since been found and are receiving treatment at Nairobi Women's Hospital after allegedly being abducted, tortured, and dumped in different parts of Nairobi. However, Lichuma remains unaccounted for, raising fresh concerns over enforced disappearances in the country.
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