Kenyans have shared mixed reactions to the revelation of now resurfaced blogger Ndiang’ui Kinyagia after his lawyer shared that the IT expert, who disappeared on June 20, had been in hiding all along – and not in the custody of security agents as had been assumed.
While taking to his social media platforms, Wahome Thuku, the family lawyer, made a startling revelation claiming that the missing blogger had been hiding in an undisclosed location in fear for his life.
The lawyer, in a statement on Thursday, July 3, confirmed that Ndiang’ui had reached out to a family member on Tuesday evening, confirming he was alive and well.
“I wish to inform Kenyans that Mr Ndiangui, who went missing last week, has contacted the family and that he is well, healthy and safe. Ndiangui contacted a family member on Tuesday evening from an undisclosed location,” Thuku stated.
The lawyer added that Kinyagia “had hidden temporarily for fear of his life upon learning that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers were looking for him over unknown criminal allegations.”
“Ndiangui has indicated that he is ready and willing to present himself to the DCI and to be presented before any court of law when his safety and security are guaranteed. We have therefore advised him to present himself before the High Court at Milimani Law Courts today,” Thuku said.
On July 3, the techie appeared in court wearing a hooded maroon sweatshirt, a face mask, and glasses, as his family broke down in tears, embracing him.
He, however, looked dishevelled, confused and evidently shaken as he stared blankly into space, as his mother cradled him.
The news of Ndiangui’s supposed hiding, however, was received both with contempt and doubt by a section of Kenyans, with many slamming him for playing intellectual games with the nation as others questioned the narrative, believing it to be a false storyline presented by the DCI and with Ndiangui coerced into fabricating the facts.
Led by Boniface Mwangi, some Kenyans angrily blasted Ndiangui for misleading – and baiting – the public while knowing that he was playing merely games all along.
A displeased Boniface Mwangi wrote: “What Ndiangui Kinyagia has done is wrong, and criminal. An entire country was fighting for his release, and praying for his safety thinking he was abducted but all this time he was in hiding! Shame on him, and his family for misleading an entire nation. Kasongo Yeye!”
Not done with the chastising Ndiangui, Mwangi followed it up, writing, “The family of Ndiangui Kinyagia misled the @LawSocietyofKe, and had them file a habeas corpus, despite knowing he was safe and in hiding. This behaviour is shameful and inexcusable.”
Many other people appeared to share Mwangi’s view, joining the team in demanding a proper explanation for his actions.
An X account, going by the handle @StateAffairsKE wrote, “We stood in solidarity. We searched in hope. We cried in despair. But Ndiangui Kinyagia was never missing. He was safe, while the country mourned a lie. He turned empathy into a game, and now, the nation demands accountability. Emotional Extortion.#StopFakeAbductions!”
However, the majority of people appear to be of the idea that Ndiang’ui did not, in fact, go into hiding – they firmly believe that the youthful activist and his family was forced to present a false narrative to the public by the DCI and, given the circumstances, he was simply playing along to a script well-crafted by creative State agents.
X user Bishop Lallo, while replying to Boniface Mwangi, said, “I’ve come to realise sometimes you deliberately switch off your brain. It’s plain as day… Ndiang’ui was abducted. Now he’s back, clearly shaken, with his hair shaved, and claiming he was ‘hiding’? That’s not a return, that’s a script. A deal was clearly struck between him and his abductors. And this is what you choose to tweet? Shame on you, Boniface!”
Someone else wrote, “Alinyolewa na bottle top ya cocacola. There is no way a young lad is maintaining good hair for 3 years and then shoddily cut it off his head while hiding. Let’s give him time to compose himself and tell his story. I don’t buy that ‘hiding’ nonsense. Hiding from what?”
On his part, security expert Chris Sambu said, “Ndiangui kinyagia looks so terrified and not like someone who has come from a safe haven. He’s uncharacteristically shaved. I hope he will account for his missing days. I know how far the state can go. I went through the wrath of the state in October last year.”
Poet and activist Willie Oeba also chimed in, saying, “Hii Story Ya Ndiangui Kinyagia doesn’t add up. One day the Family is crying on Live TV their kin is abducted, the next Day DCI say they don’t have him. Two Days later ametokea. There’s a Narrative to be deconstructed here!”
Even from the legal world, the opinions appeared to differ as some lawyers found the narrative a little unfair to the general public and all the various bodies who were involved in agitating for his safe release and arraignment.
His lawyer, Kibe Mungai, told the judge that he needs a session with Kinyagia following his resurfacing, saying he appeared “very traumatised. He both looks it and sounds it.”
“I request this honourable court to grant time for us to talk to him in confidence and in privacy since he still appears to be very traumatised,” said Kibe as he sought to get a few days before bringing him back to court.
Journalists presented the question to his other lawyer Wahome Thuku on whether his missing was “staged.”
“There is a misconception that this was staged,” a journalist asked.
“Anyone alleging staged abduction must tell us whether the DCI breaking into the house of Ndiang’ui Kianyaga were part of it,” answered Thuku, adding that he is ready to record a statement with the DCI.
Popular lawyer Phannie Kwega wrote, “This thing of Ndiangui Kinyagia will have heavy future repercussions. Habeas corpus applications may suffer significantly because of this. There was a lot of good will from court, civil society, human rights lawyers, LSK, the general public and then this happens. It’s good he is safe and sound. But looking at it the other way, this was not right! Ama?”
As the drama continues to unfold, lawyers representing the family have noted that Ndiangui may not be in the best mental state to explain the true nature of what exactly happened, requesting that the court grant them more time to get a proper hold of the saga.
“Ndiangui Kinyagia looks and appears very traumatized. He has expressed deep fear for his life. I request this court to give the family and myself some time to talk to him in confidence and privacy. Anytime from next week, we request to come back so that we are able to offer help to the court,” lawyer Kibe Mungai told the court.
