NAIROBI — The reappearance of blogger and activist Ndiang’ui Kinyagia on Thursday has stirred anger and disbelief across the country, after it emerged he had not been abducted as feared, but had gone into hiding to avoid arrest.
Kinyagia, who was reported missing from his home in Kinoo, Kiambu County on 22 June, presented himself before the High Court in Milimani, claiming he had been in hiding for fear of being picked up by the police.
Outspoken activist Boniface Mwangi, one of the many Kenyans who had called for Kinyagia’s safe return, reacted with fury upon learning the truth.
“What Ndiang’ui Kinyagia has done is wrong and criminal. An entire country was fighting for his release, praying for his safety, thinking he was abducted but all this time he was in hiding. Shame on him, and his family for misleading a nation. Kasongo yeye!” Mwangi wrote on X.
The blogger’s disappearance had triggered a wave of concern. Neighbours had reportedly told the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) that Kinyagia had been whisked away by men believed to be security agents. The LSK swiftly filed a habeas corpus application, prompting a High Court order compelling the Inspector-General of Police to produce him in court “dead or alive.”
But the case took a dramatic turn on Tuesday evening, when Kinyagia reached out to a family member and confirmed he was alive and well.
According to family lawyer Wahome Thuku, Kinyagia had gone underground after learning he was under investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
“He contacted a family member from an undisclosed location. We advised him to come forward and present himself to court, which he did today,” Thuku told Capital FM on Thursday.
DCI boss Mohammed Amin said Kinyagia was being sought in connection with a controversial online post that called for a mock protest and a symbolic “transition council” to take over the government. Amin confirmed that police had searched the blogger’s home and seized electronic devices, but denied that he had been arrested or detained by officers.
Mwangi, however, doubled down on his criticism, blaming Kinyagia’s family for allowing a legal and emotional crisis to unfold.
“The family misled the LSK and the country. They allowed a court case to proceed, knowing full well that he was not abducted. This behaviour is shameful and inexcusable,” Mwangi said.
The backlash against Kinyagia has reignited debates about ethics in activism and the consequences of false claims in an already tense political climate. While some sympathised with the fear of arbitrary arrest, many expressed concern about the damage such actions could do to genuine human rights cases.
In court, Kinyagia did not make a public statement, and it remains unclear what legal consequences he may face. His case will likely continue to unfold in the coming days, as authorities review the events leading up to his disappearance and sudden reappearance.
