Ndiangui Kinyagia, a 31-year-old Kenyan blogger and IT expert, has been missing since June 21, 2025, following a reported raid by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) at his Kinoo residence, sparking widespread concern and online activism.
Human rights organisations, including Amnesty Kenya and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), are demanding his immediate release or presentation in court, alleging he is being held incommunicado in what they describe as an enforced disappearance.
The incident, linked to Kinyagia’s vocal online activism and his role in sharing the June 25 protest timetable, has intensified debates over police brutality and freedom of expression in Kenya.
According to family members and lawyer Wahome Thuku, DCI officers arrived at Kinyagia’s Kinoo apartment on June 21 at around 2:00 PM, using approximately 10 unmarked Subaru vehicles.
After a nine-hour standoff with the caretaker, who initially refused entry due to the lack of a court order, the officers forcibly entered the residence around 9:00 PM, seizing two laptops, two phones, an old and a current passport, and a yellow fever card.
Kinyagia, known for his outspoken posts on X, was not present during the raid, but his phone went offline after a morning call with his mother, Margaret Wamaitha, raising fears of abduction. “I just want my son back,” Wamaitha pleaded.
Amnesty Kenya stated on June 27, demanding Kinyagia’s release or court appearance, “Free Ndiangui Kinyagia. He was last seen on June 21 after a reported raid by DCI officers at his home in Kinoo. If he is accused of any crime, let him be presented before a court of law, not held incommunicado.”
The LSK, led by President Faith Odhiambo, has filed a habeas corpus petition at the Milimani Constitutional and Human Rights Division, compelling Inspector General Douglas Kanja, DCI Director Mohamed Amin, and Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen to produce Kinyagia, dead or alive.
The petition alleges the raid was unlawful, citing the absence of a court order and the DCI’s failure to report the operation to Kinoo Police Station.
Kinyagia’s disappearance is believed to be tied to his role in coordinating the June 25 protests, which commemorated the 2024 anti-Finance Bill demonstrations that killed over 60 people.
His X account shared a protest schedule, including a controversial march to the State House, interpreted by some as a call to overthrow the government.
Posts on X, such as one from @xtiandela, noted Kinyagia’s absence since the raid, with @DanChepta calling for his unconditional release by June 25.
The incident occurred amid heightened tensions in Kenya, with the June 25 protests resulting in 16 deaths and over 400 injuries, largely attributed to police use of live ammunition and tear gas, per Amnesty International.
The KNCHR reported 61 arrests and 83 severe injuries, while rights groups note over 80 abductions since 2024, with 26 individuals still missing.
Activist Boniface Mwangi alleged Kinyagia may be held by the National Intelligence Service (NIS), facing potential torture. The LSK condemned the raid as a “grave violation of constitutional rights”, urging transparent investigations.
Kinyagia’s case highlights Kenya’s growing crackdown on online activism, with the DCI’s Cybercrime Unit targeting vocal critics under the Computer Misuse and Cyber Crimes Act.
As calls for accountability intensify, including demands for probes into extrajudicial killings like those of Chris Msando and Jacob Juma, Kinyagia’s disappearance underscores the risks faced by Kenya’s youth in their fight for justice.
