Still missing: Jamil Longton’s wife pens emotional letter to President Ruto
Jamil Longton Hashim has been missing following his abduction in Kajiado on August 19, 2024.
Saiwa Mohammed is struggling to come to terms with the agony of caring for an eight-month pregnancy and endless nights thinking about her abducted husband Jamil Longton Hashim. It is one month since her husband and her brother-in-law Nadhim Aslam Longton were abducted in Kitengela by armed men suspected to be police.
The abductors had pursued them for the better part of the day.
In a letter to President William Ruto and seen by Nation.Africa, Ms Saiwa says that her husband was abducted from their home by unknown armed individuals.
“I’m deeply traumatised by these events which pose a serious risk to my pregnancy. I can now empathise with the anguish experienced by many Kenyan families who have lost loved ones under similar circumstances,” Ms Saiwa says in the letter.
She begged the president to use his powers to reunite her husband with his family.
“Mr President, l urgently plead with you to intervene and secure the release of my husband. On the same note, it would be selfish of me not to extend this same appeal on behalf of all Kenyan families currently suffering under the weight of similar actions taken by state agencies.”
As she continues to cling to the glimmer of hope of seeing her husband coming home every evening, her message to the president is clear: keep the country safe.
“I believe your presidency cannot continue to be business as usual in the face of escalating insecurity in our country. You must step in to save our country. Addressing my plea is one major step in that direction.”
Ms Saiwa reiterated that the recent happenings in the country have created a frightening atmosphere and lays the groundwork for anarchy.
“Recent events have cast Kenya in a light of insecurity, not only due to the actions of the youth but more alarming due to state agencies responsible for upholding safety, constitutionalism, and the rule of law, which have instead violated these very principles.”
Speaking over the matter, Jamil’s brother Raaz Longton said that the family is worried about the two missing relatives who are yet to be traced in any nearby police stations.
He said that they reported the matter in Kitengela Police Station, Kajiado Police Station, Isinya Police Station as well as Nairobi Central Police Station.
After the two were taken away, the family says that their phones were immediately switched off.
The abduction of the two brothers as well as activist Bob Njagi has been condemned by the Law Society of Kenya, who moved to court to seek its intervention.
However, Acting Inspector-General of Police Gilbert Masengeli, who was petitioned to appear in court to explain the whereabouts of the three, snubbed the court orders.
He was sentenced to six month in prison and will know his fate on Friday.
The abduction of Della Ward Member of County Assembly Yussuf Hussein Ahmed is also among the recent cases of abductions in the country.
Mr Yussuf is reported to have been abducted while boarding a taxi along Enterprise Road in Nairobi County and his whereabouts have not been established.
Early this week, a man, who is yet to be identified, was also abducted in Nairobi CBD.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) recorded 66 cases of disappearances. According to the Missing Persons database – a website with information on disappearances – a total of 37 people have vanished since June 25. Those still being held by police are 23, while 100 have been found alive. Eight people who disappeared were found dead.
