An Irish missionary, Pastor Rory Bracken, has asked President William Ruto and the Kenyan government to issue an official apology for what he describes as a humiliating and wrongful imprisonment in Kisumu six years ago.
Bracken was arrested in February 2019 on allegations that he had overstayed his visa and was living in Kenya illegally. He was detained at Kodiaga Prison in Kisumu County, where he spent 23 days while struggling to raise bail.
Initially set at KSh 500,000, the bond was later reduced to KSh 50,000, which his family eventually managed to pay.
Following his release, Bracken went to court, insisting that his arrest was malicious and unnecessary. He argued that his stay in Kenya was lawful and that the police had unfairly targeted him.
The court later ruled in his favour, awarding him KSh 400,000 for malicious prosecution and KSh 160,000 in legal costs. However, despite the judgment, the pastor says the money has never been paid.
In an interview, Bracken painted a grim picture of his time at Kodiaga Prison. He said he slept on the cold concrete floor without any bedding, survived on very little food, and even contracted Hepatitis B, which forced him to pay for costly treatment.
“It was the most horrendous experience imaginable. I had no bedding, no proper meals, and the conditions were unbearable,” he recalled.
Even after regaining freedom, he was not allowed to leave Kenya until the case was fully resolved. This meant staying in the country for six more months at his own expense.
Now, years later, the pastor says he feels betrayed that the government is ignoring the compensation order while freely spending money elsewhere.
He questioned why the State could commit millions to reward the Harambee Stars football team yet fail to pay him the half a million shillings he is owed.
“It is ridiculous that millions are given to players for winning games while a man of God is still waiting for justice,” Bracken said. He added that he wants President Ruto to personally apologise for the mistreatment, saying Kenya’s image has been damaged by such injustices.
By Nairobi