Just days after President William Ruto vowed there would be no more extrajudicial killings or State-sponsored abductions under his administration, Juja Member of Parliament (MP) George Koimburi was found unconscious in a coffee plantation in Kiambu.

An ally of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Koimburi was allegedly abducted by unknown individuals while attending a church service in Mugutha, Juja. According to Gachagua, the MP was tortured by professionals, badly beaten and left unable to speak. Doctors have since confirmed Koimburi suffered severe soft tissue injuries consistent with torture. A chemical was also reportedly administered via inhalation, damaging his vocal cords and robbing him of his voice.

This wasn’t an isolated incident. Weeks earlier, Koimburi narrowly escaped what appeared to be an attempted apprehension by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), fleeing on a motorbike. His return to a church service last Sunday might have seemed uneventful, but to those watching closely, it was only a matter of time. Witnesses say he was taken by unknown individuals shortly after arrival, without a warrant of arrest. 

Following this, President Ruto’s administration has distanced itself from the tactics of Kenya’s darker past of forced disappearances, late-night knock-and-arrests, and clandestine operations against political dissenters. And yet, the abduction of Koimburi bears all the fingerprints of the same playbook. That he is aligned with Gachagua—now visibly isolated from the core of power—only deepens the suspicion. 

For many Kenyans, it feels like we’ve been here before. What we may be witnessing is not just a crackdown on dissent, but the quiet resurgence of impunity, dressed this time in vague legal language and security justifications.  Political tensions are simmering. Institutions once designed to serve the public are increasingly acting along partisan lines. And once again, a sitting MP, elected to serve, has been reduced to a cautionary tale.

But what makes this episode especially chilling isn’t just the brutality—it’s the silence. As of this writing, not a single senior government official has issued a formal statement. No arrests have been made. No task force has been announced. But silence is not an option—not for Koimburi, and not for this country. This is more than just a violation of one man’s rights. It’s an indictment of a system that promises democratic values while reaching for the tools of repression when challenged. A government that cannot protect its critics—or worse, is seen to be punishing them—doesn’t just lose credibility. It loses moral authority.

Where Do We Go From Here?

If the government is committed to the rule of law, the response to this incident must be swift, transparent, and unforgiving. At a minimum, the country deserves:

1.  An independent investigation into the abduction and torture of the Juja MP, with findings made public.
2. The suspension and questioning of any officers involved or implicated.
3. A parliamentary inquiry into the re-emergence of politically motivated violence and harassment.
4. A firm assurance, backed by action, that all citizens, regardless of political affiliation, are equal before the law.

And perhaps most urgently, the state must confront the uncomfortable truth that suppressing dissent only serves to deepen division. If justice can be denied to an elected official in broad daylight, what hope remains for the ordinary Kenyan?