Amnesty Kenya has demanded the release of blogger and activist Ndiangui Kinyagia, who has been missing since Saturday, June 21, following a reported raid at his residence in Kinoo.
The calls come at a time when pressure continues to mount on authorities to account for the blogger and activists' whereabouts, six days since he went missing.
Amnesty Kenya has attributed the abduction to officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI). They are demanding Kinyagia's release or for him to be presented before a court of law, instead of him being held incommunicado.
''Free Ndiangui Kinyagia. He was last seen on June 21 after a reported raid by DCI officers at his home in Kinoo. We call for his immediate release. If he is accused of any crime, let him be presented before a court of law—not held incommunicado,'' Amnesty demanded.
According to family members, Kinyagia, a 31-year-old IT expert and outspoken online commentator, disappeared under suspicious circumstances after a group of men believed to be DCI officers surrounded his apartment complex in Kinoo.
Witnesses say the officers arrived in multiple unmarked vehicles and camped outside the premises for nearly nine hours before forcibly entering his home.
According to the family, they reported the incident to the Kinoo police station, but the officers denied having knowledge of the operation or Kinyagia’s whereabouts.
Reacting on his disappearance, activist Boniface Mwangi has raised concerns that the blogger may be held by the National Intelligence Service, where he might be going through torture.
''This man is being held, and likely tortured in a detention hole run by the National Intelligence Service and Directorate of Criminal Investigations,'' Mwangi alleged.
According to Mwangi, Kinyagia's forced disappearance is a reflection of the continued injustice to youths and abuse of power by leaders who are after Kenyans expressing their opinion.
Kinyagia is the youth behind the Wednesday, June 25, timetable, which detailed the itinerary of how the events of the protests would unfold from start to finish. Unfortunately, despite outlining the events, Kinyagia missed the protests, and he has been missing since he was forcefully taken.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) also took up the case, with President Faith Odhiambo describing the incident as a dangerous erosion of constitutional protections. The LSK is preparing a court application to compel the police to produce Kinyagia and explain the circumstances of the raid.
