LSK President Calls for Urgent Public Help to Find Missing Activist Maverick Aoko

 In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…

• LSK President Faith Odhiambo calls for public assistance to locate missing social media commentator Maverick Aoko, amid growing concerns over activist safety in Kenya.

• Aoko, previously charged under Kenya's cybercrime laws, has not been seen for days; Embakasi MP Babu Owino and others are actively seeking information on her whereabouts.

Maverick Aoko

Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo has issued an urgent call for assistance in locating missing social media commentator Maverick Aoko, who has not been seen in several days. 

Her plea comes as concerns grow for Aoko’s safety, following recent detentions of prominent activists like Boniface Mwangi, who was released on Monday, October 28, 2024, after a brief detention.

Addressing the press on Monday, Odhiambo appealed to the public for any information that could help locate Aoko. 

She underscored that the LSK’s hotline is open to receive tips and highlighted the importance of safeguarding safety and freedom in Kenya. 

“We have heard that she is missing, and we are asking for any information. Our hotline is active, so please reach out to the LSK. Every life counts,” Odhiambo emphasized. She called for Aoko’s immediate release and condemned the climate of fear and intimidation, stating, “Let’s not live in a country where intimidation or fear prevails.”

Odhiambo also stressed the importance of upholding the rule of law as a fundamental right for all Kenyans to feel secure and free. 

“Kenya is our country, our home. We must strive to uphold the rule of law,” she urged. “People may express views that aren’t always comfortable, but there are legal ways to address them. Let us work within the law.”

Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino also expressed deep concern over Aoko’s disappearance and frustration over the lack of information on her whereabouts. Owino revealed he had reached out to Aoko’s family and friends to gather information but had not succeeded. 

“Aoko Otieno has been missing for days, and her whereabouts are unknown. I have reached out to her family members and close friends, but no one knows where she is!” he stated.

Aoko’s recent run-ins with the law have drawn attention before. She was arrested on August 16, 2024, and held in custody over the weekend before being formally charged on August 19. 

The charges included publishing false information, cyber harassment, and fraudulent use of electronic data under Kenya's Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act No. 5 of 2018. 

According to court documents, Aoko was accused of posting defamatory content on her X account targeting Beth Wambui Mbuitu.