Kenyan President William Ruto has promised an end to kidnappings, following the latest wave of disappearances across the country.
The East African nation's security forces have been accused of carrying out dozens of illegal arrests since youth-led anti-government demonstrations in June and July.
The latest disappearances have mainly involved young men who have criticized Ruto online, and human rights groups have dismissed police denials of involvement and called for action.
Speaking to a crowd on Friday in Homa Bay, a town in western Kenya, Ruto promised an end to kidnappings but also told parents to “take responsibility” for their children.
“We are going to stop the kidnappings so that our youth can live in peace,” he said, according to local media reports.
Ruto addressed the issue in his annual state of the nation address in November, condemning “any excessive or extrajudicial action.”
But he also said that many of the arrests were legitimate arrests against “criminals and subversive elements.”
Anger has continued to grow in the country, with the latest kidnappings sparking small-scale protests in at least one city.
Police have denied involvement, but activists have questioned why they appear not to be investigating the disappearances.
“If the police are indeed not complicit,” the Kenya Law Society said, they must “immediately investigate and prosecute those responsible.”
Human Rights Watch said earlier this year that its investigation pointed to a unit made up of multiple security agencies.
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