Prominent James Orengo ally and outspoken Jacaranda “Bunge La Mwananchi” leader Evans Kawala has reportedly gone missing in what opposition figures are now describing as an abduction linked to his criticism of President William Ruto’s administration.
The incident, said to have occurred on the evening of Tuesday, May 26, has triggered outrage among youth activists, civil society groups and opposition leaders, with Siaya Governor James Orengo leading calls for Kawala’s immediate release.
In a strongly-worded statement issued late Tuesday night, Orengo accused the government of targeting the vocal grassroots mobiliser over his outspoken political views.
“Tonight, the Ruto administration resorted to desperate measures by abducting Evans ‘Kidero Jasuba’ Kawala, a vocal champion of the Jacaranda Bunge La Mwananchi, simply for speaking truth to power,” Orengo claimed.
The governor further revealed that legal efforts were already underway to establish Kawala’s whereabouts, assuring supporters that the matter would be pursued relentlessly.
“To the Bunge La Mwananchi family: stay firm. We are actively on this case and will see it through to the end,” he added.
Orengo went on to describe the alleged abduction as a sign of weakness within the government, insisting that criticism and dissent could not be silenced through intimidation.
“Oppression only signals a government’s weakness. You can abduct a critic, but you cannot chain the spirit of defiance. We demand his immediate and unconditional release,” the governor declared.
Kawala, a familiar and influential voice within Nairobi’s Jacaranda-based “Bunge La Mwananchi” movement, has recently gained attention for his fiery criticism of the Kenya Kwanza administration, particularly over governance and economic concerns affecting ordinary Kenyans.
His latest remarks came shortly after a security scare involving President William Ruto in Ganze, Kilifi County, on Sunday, May 24, when an unidentified man breached security barriers and reached the presidential dais before being restrained by security officers.
The alleged disappearance of Kawala now raises fresh concerns over political freedoms, freedom of expression and the safety of government critics in Kenya, especially amid heightened national debate surrounding the proposed Finance Bill 2026.
“Bunge La Mwananchi”, a long-standing grassroots civic movement, has historically served as an open public forum where citizens gather to debate political, economic and social issues affecting the country.
At the time of publication, neither the National Police Service nor the government had issued an official statement regarding Kawala’s reported disappearance, despite mounting pressure from activists and opposition leaders demanding answers.
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