Aasai

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has denied detaining blogger and human rights activist Ndiangui Kinyagia, who mysteriously disappeared on June 22 from his residence in Kinoo, Kiambu County. While the public and legal watchdogs raise alarm over what they describe as an abduction, police now claim they have no knowledge of his whereabouts — and have instead called on Kinyagia to surrender himself.

Speaking to the press in Nairobi on Monday, DCI Director Mohammed Amin refuted claims that Kinyagia was in the hands of security agencies. He maintained that while Kinyagia is a person of interest in an ongoing investigation, he is not being held by the police.

“Kinyagia is not in our custody. He is not being detained by the National Police Service. However, we urge him to come forward and cooperate with our investigation,” Amin said.

According to the DCI boss, Kinyagia is being sought in connection with a social media post shared on June 19 via an X (formerly Twitter) account allegedly linked to him. The post, which quickly went viral, appeared to be a satirical “official” invitation to protests commemorating the deadly anti-Finance Bill demonstrations of 2023. The image included Kenya’s national coat of arms and a provocative itinerary, including a planned march to State House and the fictional swearing-in of a “transition council.”

Amin said the nature of the post raised national security concerns. “This was not just a casual online joke. It was inflammatory, provocative, and had the potential to incite unrest,” he stated.

He further explained that investigators had visited Kinyagia’s home in Kinoo, conducted a search, and confiscated a number of electronic devices believed to be connected to the case.

“We found several gadgets that we believe hold evidence crucial to our investigation,” Amin said. “But I must clarify — our officers did not arrest him. He was not taken into custody.”

Despite this statement, widespread skepticism remains. Eyewitness accounts from Kinyagia’s neighbours — cited by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) — claim he was taken away in broad daylight by individuals believed to be plain-clothed security agents using unmarked Subaru vehicles, a tactic historically associated with police abductions in Kenya.

The LSK has condemned the incident in the strongest terms, stating that the circumstances surrounding Kinyagia’s disappearance point to a case of enforced disappearance and potential unlawful detention. In a statement, the legal body called the matter “a grave violation of constitutional rights” and a “direct attack on the rule of law.”

“This is not just about one person,” the LSK said. “It is about the state of our democracy and whether fundamental freedoms — such as the right to free speech, due process, and protection from arbitrary arrest — are being upheld.”

On Monday, Justice Chacha Mwita of the High Court ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Douglas Kanja, to either produce Kinyagia in court or provide a comprehensive explanation for his disappearance by Tuesday, July 1, at 11:00 a.m.

But the DCI Director remained firm in his stance, stating: “We don’t have him. That’s exactly what we will tell the court. Our advice to Mr. Kinyagia is simple — present yourself to the authorities and help clear the air.”

As concerns mount from civil rights groups, legal experts, and the public, the pressure is now on law enforcement to prove they are not complicit in Kinyagia’s disappearance. Human rights defenders have vowed to continue demanding accountability until the missing blogger is found — dead or alive.