Blogger and tech entrepreneur Ndiangui Kinyagia has told the court that he was not abducted but went into hiding because he feared for his life.
Ndiangui Kinyagia disappeared on June 21 after publishing a timetable for the June 25, 2025, protests, which included the hanging of President Ruto.
He only reappeared on July 3, after the Court ordered Police IG Kanja to produce him dead or alive. Shortly after the tech entrepreneur reappeared, looking shaken and spotting a buzzcut similar to the one prisoners get courtesy of the State.
Through his lawyer, Senior Counsel Martha Karua, Kinyagia said he decided to stay in hiding after hearing of cases where people allegedly abducted by police were later found dead.
“By going into hiding, it was the way any reasonable person would respond,” Karua told the court.
Kinyagia explained that during this time he stopped using his phone and cut off all communication. He said his intention was not to mislead the public or the authorities, but only to stay safe.
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He also told the court that while he was away, police officers broke into his house, changed the locks, and searched it without his permission.
Karua defended Kinyagia’s mother, who had asked the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) to help after she believed her son had been abducted. She said the mother acted as any parent would, especially with the rise in cases of enforced disappearances.
The court agreed that Kinyagia’s fears were genuine and ruled that his actions were reasonable under the circumstances. Justice Chacha Mwita said the LSK should not be blamed, as it had acted in good faith on the family’s instructions.
With Kinyagia now back, the court closed the matter and marked the petition as withdrawn. The judge reminded the police to uphold human rights and ordered that Kinyagia should not be harassed or tortured.
The court added that any future threats against him could be addressed when they arise.
By Vivian K.