Gabriel Oguda, a popular social commentator and vocal activist, has been reportedly abducted ahead of nationwide protests against the Finance Bill 2024 scheduled for today.

Oguda’s brother Zachary reported on social media that the newspaper columnist was taken from his house by unknown gunmen in the early hours of Tuesday, June 25.

“Any tweets coming from @gabrieloguda were already scheduled. HE ISN’T SAFE,” Zachary tweeted.

Oguda is not the only activist who has gone missing. Osama Otero, who has been hosting popular X Spaces opposing the Finance Bill, was also reportedly abducted by unknown people.

Other X users like Franje, Drey Mwangi, and Shad Khalif (also known as Shadrak Kiprono) have also been reported missing.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has condemned the abductions, calling them a return to the “dark era of a rogue, irrational police force operating through repressive, retrogressive, clandestine, illegal, extra-judicial tactics to forcefully quell public dissent.”

LSK President Faith Odhiambo vowed to unmask and take action against the “rogue criminal elements.”

“Over the last 72 hrs, Kenya has been drawn back to the dark era of a rogue, irrational police force operating through repressive, retrogressive, clandestine, illegal, extra-judicial tactics to forcefully quell public dissent against misgivings of government, lapses in governance and more specifically, the contentious Finance Bill 2024,” Odhiambo said.

The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has also condemned the abductions, stating that they aim to “intimidate protesters planning to participate in future peaceful demonstrations urging MPs to reject the bill.”

Despite the crackdown, protesters are still planning a nationwide strike dubbed #TotalShutdownKE on Tuesday, 25 June to pressure parliamentarians to reject the Finance Bill 2024.