Dr Austin Omondi, widely known as Ja Prado, was released Sunday hours after he was allegedly kidnapped in Nairobi.
The incident sparked outrage and condemnation from various quarters, including the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU).
Confirming Dr Omondi’s release, KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah took to social media, posting photos of himself with colleagues, including Ja Prado.
“Our colleague Dr Austin Omondi has been released. We condemn in the strongest terms possible the impunity, the threats, intimidations, and the act of fear-mongering which cannot be tolerated,” he said.
Ja Prado himself confirmed his release on social media platforms.
“I have been released,” he tweeted.
The circumstances surrounding Dr Omondi’s abduction remain obscure.
According to his account on X, he was taken incommunicado by authorities while engaged in a blood donation drive at the Sikh Union on Forest Road.
Witnesses reported that Ja Prado was actively participating in a humanitarian effort aimed at aiding injured protestors when he was forcibly abducted.
The KMPDU swiftly condemned the alleged abduction, denouncing it as an act of impunity by the government.
The union, representing over 10,000 medical professionals across Kenya’s public and private sectors, demanded Dr Omondi’s immediate and unconditional release.
They also warned of potential disruptions to medical services in both public and private institutions until their colleague was safely returned.
“We unequivocally reject any breach of the Geneva Conventions, which protect medics and aid workers even in conflict zones,” the KMPDU emphasised in a statement.
“The recent protests do not justify such reprehensible actions. Medical personnel remain impartial, dedicated to saving lives on all sides of any conflict.”
