Blogger Ndiang'ui missing one week after alleged raid by police

Missing blogger Ndiang'ui Kinyagia. [Courtesy]

One week since the mysterious disappearance of Ndiangui Kinyagia, a 35-year-old IT expert and blogger behind the X account Daguin Dd, his whereabouts remain unknown.

Kinyagia, who was vocal in mobilising online support for the 25 June Gen Z protests, is believed to have been abducted by individuals allegedly linked to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

His family, along with concerned Kenyans, is demanding answers from the government, calling for his immediate release or lawful arraignment using the hashtag #FreeNdianguiKinyagia.

"I join other Kenyans calling for the release of Ndiangui Kinyagia, abducted from his home in Kinoo, Kikuyu-despite public outcry over abductions and killings. This regime seeks to retain power through repression, ignoring the Constitution and the rule of law. It will fail," senior counsel Paul Muite posted on X.

Human rights organisation Amnesty Kenya also called for Kinyagia's release, urging that if he is accused of any crime, he should be presented before a court and not held incommunicado.

Despite mounting pressure, no formal statement has been issued by the Ministry of Interior, the DCI, or the National Police Service. The family remains in anguish.

According to his mother, Margaret Rukwaro, her last contact with him was on the morning of Saturday 21 June. Later that day, his phones went off. "I called to check on him. He replied via WhatsApp, saying he'd be offline for an hour. I asked if everything was alright-he said yes," she recalled. By 1pm, however, both his phone and WhatsApp were offline. "I panicked. I stayed up all night trying to call. As a mother, I knew something was wrong," she said.

The family later learnt that at least 10 Subaru vehicles, reportedly linked to the DCI, raided his residence, broke in, and seized personal items including two laptops, two phones, two passports and a yellow fever card.

The building caretaker informed the family that no search warrant was presented and that the officers forcibly entered the premises. They left behind a handwritten inventory on paper bearing the DCI logo and locked the house.

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has termed the incident an enforced disappearance and a threat to the rule of law. A Habeas Corpus application filed by LSK will be heard tomorrow before Justice E.C. Mwita at the Milimani Law Courts.

The family has filed a missing person report at Kinoo and Kikuyu police stations.

"We reasonably believe the police are involved or know where he is. This disappearance is not only unlawful-it's dangerous," said Wahome Thuku, the family's lawyer.