Research and Policy Analyst Gabriel Oguda has penned down a compelling firsthand account of his recent ordeal at the hands of rogue Kenyan security agents.
In today’s issue of a local newspaper, the popular online commentator vividly describes the events of Monday, June 24, 2024, when armed plainclothes officers forcibly entered his Nairobi residence in the wee hours of the night under the guise of investigating a nonexistent threat.
Oguda says he initially mistook their approach for a neighbour’s noisy car, but things quickly took a dramatic turn when the menacing men in a convoy of five vehicles began combing every blade of grass in his compound.
Subsequently, they detained and questioned him under duress, clarifying that they weren’t genuinely looking for a bomb, but rather probing social media activity associated with his X (previously Twitter) account. Following this, they pushed Oguda into the rear seat of a Subaru Outback, obstructing the driveway into our court.
He handed them all his gadgets in a cooperative manner. The officers interrogated him in transit and inquired about his background and recent protest activities.
They were curious about the Gen Z movement’s leader. The police insisted on the protest’s leadership.
Some other questions raised included how he makes his daily bread, his weekly hobbies, and his monthly pay.
He was taken on a turbulent journey through Nairobi under covert arrangements before being transferred to the Kajiado police station.
On Wednesday, June 26, 2024, a viral social media campaign demanding the freedom of political detainees from the ongoing anti-government protests led to Oguda’s release without facing any charges.
