Kimutai Kirui, a human rights activist and executive director of Centre Against Torture, is seeking police protection after receiving threats to his life.
The threats are believed to be connected to Kirui’s role in exposing a rogue recruitment agency based in Eldoret that promised World Cup jobs to local youths but allegedly failed to deliver on those promises.
Kirui, who is based in the North Rift region, has reported the threats to the Eldoret Central Police Station and is currently seeking assurance of his safety from the authorities. The activist has alleged that the threats are coming from prominent traders with connections to the Kenyan government.
In 2022, Kirui petitioned the Uasin Gishu County Assembly to investigate the activities of the recruitment agency, which had promised jobs related to the World Cup in Qatar to 200 youths from Uasin Gishu County, but failed to deliver on those promises. Kirui joined more than 1,000 youths in accusing the agency of collecting money from them under false pretenses.
Kirui claims that hired goons have been trailing him since he petitioned the county assembly and that he has been taking the threats lightly until last week, when two men confronted him outside an Eldoret hotel and warned him against interfering with the agency in question.
Uasin Gishu youth chairman Collins Kemboi has urged the police to take Kirui’s security concerns seriously.
“We appeal to the police to investigate the allegations by Mr Kirui because he has been one of the most vocal activists in this county and we believe he has many enemies,” he said.
Turbo sub-county police commander Edward Masibo has confirmed that Kirui has reported the threats to the police and that an investigation is ongoing.
