President William Ruto’s proclamation that he has stopped abductions and enforced disappearances of government critics is, at best, a half-truth – and at worst, a disturbing display of political hypocrisy.

On Monday, during a joint press conference with visiting Finland President Alexander Stubb, President Ruto claimed he had given firm instructions that abductions, enforced disappearances and killing of his critics would never happen again under his government.

While the President’s pronouncement may sound reassuring on the surface, it rings hollow when not accompanied by accountability for those who perpetrated these grave abuses.

Purporting to assure Kenyans that the abductions have stopped without addressing the burning question of who was responsible – and ensuring they are brought to justice – is not a sign of reform. It is a signal of impunity.

Enforced disappearances and extrajudicial abductions are not spontaneous events. They require coordination, operational and logistical resources, and a chain of command.

If these crimes happened – as President Ruto has tacitly admitted on several occasions – then people in the security apparatus acted illegally, often with the knowledge or direction of powerful officials within his government, and perhaps with his own blessings.

Simply “stopping” the abductions without investigating or prosecuting those involved amounts to sweeping serious human rights violations under the rug.

By only “stopping” the abductions without any action against the perpetrators, President Ruto could be justifying claims made against him by former Attorney General JB Muturi, who has laid the blame squarely on him.

If the President, who is known for his double-speak, is genuinely committed to addressing the wrongs perpetrated during last year’s protests, he must ensure independent investigations into the abductions, hold perpetrators accountable regardless of their rank and connections, and dismantle the networks that enabled such State-sponsored terror.

Until firm action is taken against those behind the abductions, President Ruto’s declaration is not a promise kept – it is a glaring reminder of the many promises he has broken since his election.