Mother in agony as son allegedly abducted at NYS pass-out

Jane Njeri, a mother of Joseph Kang'ara, from Jua Kali estate, Kakamega County, is a parent in distress after an alleged enforced disappearance of her son a month ago by people believed to be military officers.

On August 28, 2025, Njeri had travelled with Kang'ara to attend her younger son's graduation from the 89th National Youth Service (NYS) pass-out parade in Gilgil, Nakuru County. However, her joy of watching her son graduate was short-lived and turned to despair.

Njeri alleges that her 27-year-old child was abducted by a person believed to be a soldier during the pass-out parade of his younger brother attended by President William Ruto.

According to Njeri, her son was abducted when going to relieve himself in a makeshift washroom after confusion rocked the ceremony following anti-Ruto chants from a section of parents and youths who had graced the occasion.

"My son told me that he was going for a short call, and as he was heading to the washrooms, we heard chants of one-term coming in the same direction he was heading to. I saw a tall and huge woman dressed in a military uniform with a red beret. She intercepted my son, got hold of his hand, a few metres away, she did the same to another young man, and she went with the two to where the washrooms were located, and that was the last time I saw my son," said Njeri.

She added, "I waited for my son for almost 30 minutes without seeing him. I decided to look for him all over the place, but all was in vain."

Njeri said that her son was not part of the groups that were chanting one-term slogans, recalling how police officers and NYS people arrested people, especially youths, besides beating them.

"The place I was sitting with my son was quiet, but to the next tent and behind the tents there were people, including parents and youths, chanting one-term and talking ill of the government. The chants grew louder and within a short period of time, police officers swung into action with horses, beat and roughed up people, made arrests and went with others," said Njeri.

After the pass-out, Njeri looked for his son inside the college and its environs without success, prompting him to report the matter the following day at Gilgil Police Station with Occurrence Book (OB) 28th 13/29/025.

"I reported the matter to Gilgil police station on 29th August, 2025, and they promised to carry out their investigations and informed me of the progress within a week. However, after one week, nothing was forthcoming, and I decided to visit the station for more inquiry," said Njeri.

She added, "Police told me to give them a photo of my son, promising to send signals across the country to establish his whereabouts, but after two weeks, there was no progress."

Njeri said after spending two weeks in Nakuru waiting for the police report without progress, she decided to visit all hospitals in Nakuru and Naivasha, but all was in vain, including in Kakamega, where I reported the matter at Kakamega Central Police Station.

"I lost confidence and hope in the police, I decided to visit several places in search of my girl, including Nakuru, Naivasha and Nyahururu. I went further and travelled to Nairobi in Githurai 24 and 25 and later to Machakos, but it was all in vain," said Njeri.

Njeri is now pleading with the government to release her if he is in their hands.

"My son is a disciplined young man, and he had no role in what was happening. I am very sure and convinced that my son was abducted by the government, and he is in their hands. My only plea to the government is to release my son back to me while alive so that I can be at peace. My heart is bleeding and paining because his phone is not going through," she said.

She added, "The government should not deal with youths in such a manner, even if people were disgruntled with the government that did not guarantee it to abduct my son and other youths, and daily prayer is that he should be alive, I don't imagine receiving my son in a coffin."

John Anzane, a neighbour to Njeri, described Kang'ara as a disciplined child who did not deserve to be abducted, urging the government to release him back to his family.

"The way the young man disappeared, it is evident that he was forcibly abducted by the police just because he was a Gen-Z, and we know the government is afraid of the young people. We want to plead with the government through security agencies to release Kang'ara back to his mother," said Anzane.

He added, "I have known him as a good young man; he should not be crucified for other people's actions. In fact, the government should deal with dissenting voices in such a manner that there is a better way. The government should know that silencing its critics through abduction and extra-judicial killings will never be a solution to the problems affecting Kenyans."