The man found unconscious and badly injured on the roadside in Ruaka on the morning of Tuesday, July 1, has been identified as Jackson Njuguna Wambui. He is a clothes vendor and resident of Ruaka.
Images of Jackson, lying battered by the roadside, had circulated widely on social media. Many users speculated he was Ndiangui Kinyagia, a missing blogger linked to the June 25 Gen Z protests. The viral post caused panic and concern as Kenyans searched for answers.
But the family of Jackson Njuguna has now clarified the situation.
“We saw his photo online and people saying he’s a blogger. But that’s not true. Jackson is not a blogger. He is not Ndiang’ui,” said his aunt, Joyce Njuguna, in a public statement.
Jackson Njuguna is currently admitted to the Kenyatta National Hospital ICU, where he remains in critical condition. According to Joyce, he had been severely beaten. The family is still in shock and struggling to understand what happened.
They last saw him on Sunday, and he seemed to be doing well.
“We don’t know how he ended up like this. It’s heartbreaking,” Joyce said.
The family initially learned about Jackson’s condition through the same viral posts that sparked public worry. When they recognized him, they rushed to Ruaka Police Station for answers. Police told them he had first been taken to Aga Khan Hospital, but that hospital reportedly declined to admit him.
The family was then sent to Kiambu, where they also couldn’t find him. Eventually, they discovered he had been transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital, where he was finally admitted.
“We are very grateful to the doctors at Kenyatta,” Joyce said. “But it’s very disappointing that a hospital turned him away when he clearly needed urgent care.”
Jackson’s family now believes he may have been attacked by mistake—possibly confused for the missing blogger.
“Whatever happened to him, we just want justice,” Joyce added. “He had not attended any protest. He is not political.”
His mother, overwhelmed by the news, is still coming to terms with the horrifying reality.
By Vivian K.