Justice Mwita Demands IG, DCI Explain 10-Day Detention of Missing Protest Organizer Ndiangui Kinyagia
Justice Chacha Mwita has issued a firm directive to Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome Kanja and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) chief Amin Mohammed, ordering them to produce missing blogger Ndiangui Kinyagia in court or appear in person to explain his disappearance and detention without trial.
In a court order dated June 30, Justice Mwita expressed concern over the ongoing ten-day detention of Kinyagia without being presented before a court. He warned that failure to produce the blogger would compel both the IG and DCI to appear before the court on Tuesday, July 1, to explain why Kinyagia cannot be presented.
Kinyagia, a known political activist and social media commentator, disappeared shortly before the nationwide protests held on June 25. He had played a significant role in organizing the demonstrations, which were planned to culminate in a symbolic march to State House and the declaration of a “new republic.”
On June 19, days before his disappearance, Kinyagia shared a detailed itinerary of the planned protests via his X account (formerly Twitter). The post went viral, drawing significant attention to the anticipated protest.
However, on June 24—just a day before the protests—reports emerged that Kinyagia had gone missing. Activists quickly raised alarm over what many feared was an enforced disappearance. Human rights groups, including Amnesty Kenya, have since joined calls for his immediate release.
According to Amnesty, Kinyagia was last seen on June 21, two days after his post, when men suspected to be DCI officers raided his home in Kinoo. Witnesses reported that six to ten unmarked Subaru vehicles surrounded his residence, and his final communication was with his mother at around 1pm on the same day.
Since then, there has been no official communication from either the National Police Service or the DCI regarding his status. Social media campaigns under the hashtag #FreeNdianguiKinyagia have continued to grow, with increasing public pressure on the state to disclose his whereabouts.
Justice Mwita’s order now puts senior security officials under direct judicial scrutiny, as questions mount over the legality of Kinyagia’s continued disappearance.
