A Young Man Goes Missing in Embu, Kenya.
Billy Munyiri Mwangi is a college student. He is 24 years old. He lives in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
On December 21, Billy went to visit his family in Embu. He was waiting to get his hair cut at a barber shop when suddenly, a white truck pulled up. Four men jumped out. They wore hoods to hide their faces.
The men grabbed Billy. They forced him into their truck. Billy asked why they were taking him. "You will know later," they said. Then they drove away with him.
This happened very close to the barber shop, about 400 meters away. Right after Billy was taken, his phone was turned off.
Billy's family is very upset. They don't know why this happened to him. His mother, Regina, cried as she talked about it. She said if the government took Billy, she would want him back alive. She said she would apologize for anything he did wrong.
Billy's father, Gerald, is also sad. He said he wanted to watch soccer with Billy that day and called him at 3 p.m. when he didn't come home. Gerald said Billy is a good son and wants the government to let him go.
Many people in Embu are angry about Billy's death. On Friday, they protested in the streets. Shops had to close because they were afraid of trouble.
The police say they are looking for Billy. They want people to be patient. They asked them not to protest anymore.
But Billy is not the only one who has gone missing. Many people who speak out against the government have been taken away. A group called the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights says 82 people have been abducted since June. The group thinks government agents took them. 29 of them are still missing.
A Catholic priest named Ambrose Kimutai is very worried. He said President William Ruto needs to take responsibility for all these abductions. He said other leaders can't pretend it's not their problem.
Father Kimutai said the government isn't fixing the real issues. He said Ruto and other leaders are just protecting themselves, not regular Kenyans.
He talked about two young men from his area who were taken on December 5. Elvis and Dominic Langat were taken away in a car by men in masks.
Kimutai said things are getting as bad as they were in the past. He said there aren't torture rooms now, but it's still very scary.
He wants President Ruto to admit that he hasn't kept his promises. Ruto said he would make the economy better and stop killings by police. But it hasn't happened.
Many Kenyans are disappointed. They thought things would change under Ruto. But they haven't.
Even the former Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, is upset. He said the abductions were Ruto's fault.
Kenya is going through a hard time. People are afraid. They want their loved ones to come home safely. They want the government to protect them, not hurt them.
If everyone works together, they can find a way to improve things. But it will take a lot of work and honesty from the country's leaders. The people of Kenya deserve to feel safe and free in their own country.
Billy Munyiri Mwangi is a college student. He is 24 years old. He lives in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
On December 21, Billy went to visit his family in Embu. He was waiting to get his hair cut at a barber shop when suddenly, a white truck pulled up. Four men jumped out. They wore hoods to hide their faces.
The men grabbed Billy. They forced him into their truck. Billy asked why they were taking him. "You will know later," they said. Then they drove away with him.
This happened very close to the barber shop, about 400 meters away. Right after Billy was taken, his phone was turned off.
Billy's family is very upset. They don't know why this happened to him. His mother, Regina, cried as she talked about it. She said if the government took Billy, she would want him back alive. She said she would apologize for anything he did wrong.
Billy's father, Gerald, is also sad. He said he wanted to watch soccer with Billy that day and called him at 3 p.m. when he didn't come home. Gerald said Billy is a good son and wants the government to let him go.
Many people in Embu are angry about Billy's death. On Friday, they protested in the streets. Shops had to close because they were afraid of trouble.
The police say they are looking for Billy. They want people to be patient. They asked them not to protest anymore.
But Billy is not the only one who has gone missing. Many people who speak out against the government have been taken away. A group called the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights says 82 people have been abducted since June. The group thinks government agents took them. 29 of them are still missing.
A Catholic priest named Ambrose Kimutai is very worried. He said President William Ruto needs to take responsibility for all these abductions. He said other leaders can't pretend it's not their problem.
Father Kimutai said the government isn't fixing the real issues. He said Ruto and other leaders are just protecting themselves, not regular Kenyans.
He talked about two young men from his area who were taken on December 5. Elvis and Dominic Langat were taken away in a car by men in masks.
Kimutai said things are getting as bad as they were in the past. He said there aren't torture rooms now, but it's still very scary.
He wants President Ruto to admit that he hasn't kept his promises. Ruto said he would make the economy better and stop killings by police. But it hasn't happened.
Many Kenyans are disappointed. They thought things would change under Ruto. But they haven't.
Even the former Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, is upset. He said the abductions were Ruto's fault.
Kenya is going through a hard time. People are afraid. They want their loved ones to come home safely. They want the government to protect them, not hurt them.
If everyone works together, they can find a way to improve things. But it will take a lot of work and honesty from the country's leaders. The people of Kenya deserve to feel safe and free in their own country.
