Activist Davis Lichuma found alive after suspected abduction, torture and abandonment
According to SJCWG, Lichuma was unable to speak when he was found, raising fears about the ordeal he may have endured during the days he was missing.
Activist Davis Lichuma, who went missing during the June 25, 2026 Gen Z anniversary protests, has been found alive after allegedly being abducted, tortured and abandoned, according to the Social Justice Centres Working Group (SJCWG).
The rights organisation said Lichuma was discovered in critical condition after allegedly being dumped at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) before he was transferred to Nairobi Women’s Hospital for specialised treatment.
According to SJCWG, Lichuma was unable to speak when he was found, raising fears about the ordeal he may have endured during the days he was missing.
“While we are relieved that he has been located, we remain deeply concerned about his condition. At the time of his discovery, Comrade Lichuma was unable to speak, raising serious concerns about what he may have been subjected to during the period he was missing,” the group said in a statement.
The organisation alleged that Lichuma had been subjected to severe torture while in captivity and described the incident as part of a wider pattern of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial abuses targeting activists.
It demanded an immediate, independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, his alleged unlawful detention, the injuries he sustained and those responsible.
“This is not merely an assault on an individual; it is a chilling indictment of a system that allows enforced disappearances, torture and extrajudicial abuse to flourish with impunity,” the group said.
SJCWG insisted that Lichuma’s recovery does not answer critical questions surrounding his disappearance, including who allegedly abducted him, where he was held, who ordered his torture and why he was abandoned.
The development came just hours after human rights defenders had given the government a 24-hour ultimatum to produce the activist or face fresh demonstrations on Tuesday, June 30.
Speaking during a press briefing at the Mathare Ghetto Foundation on Sunday, activists accused authorities of failing to address increasing cases of enforced disappearances involving government critics.
Lichuma’s mother, Margaret Lichuma, said her son visited her on June 24, a day before he disappeared, and asked her to pray for him because he knew the risks associated with participating in the protests.
She said people arrested alongside him had already been released, deepening fears over his whereabouts.
She also disclosed that her son had a pre-existing stab wound on his abdomen, raising concerns about his health during the period he was missing.
According to fellow activists, Lichuma was among seven protesters allegedly picked up near Parliament during the demonstrations and taken to an undisclosed location.
The other six were reportedly dumped along Langata Road on Saturday morning after allegedly being beaten. They were taken to hospital for treatment and claimed police officers were behind their torture.
Lichuma was reportedly unable to explain where he had been since his disappearance due to his medical condition.
SJCWG said its immediate priority is ensuring Lichuma receives urgent medical care, legal support and protection while standing with his family in pursuing justice.
“We will continue to monitor his condition closely and stand with his family as they seek truth and justice. We will not accept silence, cover-ups or excuses. An injury to one is an injury to all,” the organisation said.
Before Lichuma was found, the National Police Service (NPS) confirmed receiving a missing person’s report lodged at Central Police Station in Nairobi and urged anyone with information regarding his disappearance to come forward.
NPS spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said the Service takes allegations of enforced disappearances, torture and other human rights violations seriously and encouraged members of the public to report any such incidents to facilitate investigations.
“The National Police Service remains fully dedicated to professional policing that serves and protects all Kenyans, residents and visitors. We uphold the constitutional rights of every person and strictly follow all legal procedures in our operations,” the statement said.
