Activist Boniface Mwangi has strongly criticized blogger Ndiangui Kinyangia for allegedly misleading Kenyans into believing he had been abducted by state agents, only for it to emerge that he had been in hiding all along.
Mwangi took to X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday morning, hours after family lawyer Wahome Thuku confirmed that Kinyangia had gone into hiding to evade what he feared was an imminent arrest by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
“What Ndiangui Kinyagia has done is wrong and criminal,” Mwangi wrote. “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!”
Kinyangia’s disappearance shortly after sharing the June 25 protests itinerary on his X page sparked nationwide outrage, with Kenyans online demanding answers and accountability from the police.
The matter escalated to court after Justice Chacha Mwita directed Inspector General Douglas Kanja and DCI boss Mohammed Amin to produce the blogger in court by June 30 — dead or alive.
However, as earlier reported, Kinyangia surfaced on Thursday, escorted by lawyers Kibe Mungai and Martha Karua, telling the court he had gone into hiding out of fear for his life.
Family lawyer Wahome Thuku explained in a statement that Ndiangui reached out to a family member on Tuesday evening, assuring them he was safe but in hiding due to threats and unknown charges.
“Mr. Ndiangui indicated to the family member that he had hidden temporarily for fear of his life upon learning that DCI officers were looking for him,” Thuku said.
Despite this clarification, Mwangi and other activists argue that faking a disappearance undermines real cases of enforced disappearances and erodes public trust in genuine human rights struggles.
While some Kenyans online echoed Mwangi’s sentiments, others defended Ndiangui, citing state intimidation tactics and the hostile environment faced by outspoken youth online.
As the situation unfolds, Kinyangia’s legal team is now seeking court assurances for his safety, while police investigations into his social media activity and protest coordination continue.
