Where is Ndiang'ui? Blogger went missing after viral post on protests

It is now 11 days since 35-year-old IT expert and blogger Ndiang’ui Kinyagia was last seen.

Known on X as Daguin Dd, Ndiang’ui has been missing since June 21, 2025, when armed officers believed to be from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) reportedly stormed his Kinoo residence, broke in, and took away his belongings, including laptops.

Ndiang’ui, a computer science graduate from Kabarak University and owner of an IT firm, had been active online in the lead-up to the June 25 Gen Z protests. The protests were meant to mark one year since the deaths of protesting youths during the 2024 anti-Finance Bill 2024 demonstrations.

His family believes that a viral post he made on June 19, could have placed him in the crosshairs of the government. In the post, he shared an itinerary for the planned 25 June protests.

It laid out a timeline beginning at 8 am with prayers, a moment of silence for those killed in 2024, speeches from bereaved parents, and a march to State House. It concluded with symbolic acts such as lowering the UDA presidential standard, raising the Kenyan flag, declaring a new republic, and swearing in a transition council.

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The post garnered more than one million views. Friends and family now believe this may have triggered the chain of events that led to his disappearance.

His family, friends, and Kenyans online are now demanding answers, using the hashtag #FreeNdianguiKinyagia. They are calling on the government to either release him or present him before court.

“I join other Kenyans calling for the release of Ndiang’ui Kinyagia, abducted from his house in Kinoo, Kikuyu; this despite public outcry about abductions and murder. This regime plans to retain power through repression, ignoring the Constitution and the rule of law. It will FAIL,” posted senior counsel Paul Muite on X.

Amnesty International-Kenya also posted on its X account, urging authorities to release him or charge him formally.

Yesterday, DCI boss Mohamed Amin denied police are holding the X influencer. But Amin confirmed that Kinyagia is a person of interest in an ongoing investigation into the viral social media post.

“I confirm to Kenyans that Ndiang’ui is not in custody of the National Police Service,” said Amin, adding, “He is a person of interest to us and wherever he is, I urge that he submits himself and that he surrenders himself to the nearest police station.”

Meanwhile, the family of Ndiang’ui continues to live in anguish. His mother, Margaret Rukwaro, last spoke with him on the morning of 21 June.

“I called him to check on how he was doing. His phone was off, but he responded on WhatsApp, telling me he would be offline for about an hour. I asked if everything was okay, and he assured me,” she said.

But by 1 pm, both his phones and WhatsApp had gone completely offline.

“I panicked. I stayed up the entire night trying to call him. As a mother, I felt something was terribly wrong,” Rukwaro said.

The family later found out from neighbours that at least 10 Subaru vehicles, said to belong to DCI, had stormed his home that same afternoon. After a prolonged standoff with the building’s caretaker, they broke into Ndiangui’s house and seized personal items, including two laptops, two mobile phones, two passports (one expired, one current), and a yellow fever card.

The officers left a handwritten inventory on paper bearing a DCI logo of the items taken. The officers then locked the house with their own padlock and left with the key, rendering the family unable to access the premises.

The caretaker of the building informed the family that no search warrant was presented and that the officers made forced entry into his house.

Rukwaro described her son as God-fearing, patriotic, kind-hearted, and passionate about justice. She said the family is now deeply troubled by the silence from the authorities and the illegal manner in which the search was conducted.

“The neighbours were threatened because they were told not to tell anyone what happened. After telling them I am the mother is when they opened up and told us what happened,” said Rukwaro.

The DCI have shifted their attention and are now raiding their residences in the dead of night.

Last week, it is alleged that the officers raided one of his friend’s houses at 2 am. Ndiang’ui’s family has filed missing person reports at both Kinoo and Kikuyu police stations.

“We reasonably believe the police know where he is or are directly involved. The courts must act swiftly. There are procedures that must be followed. Arrest someone, let them contact their family or lawyer, and take them to court within the required time frame. This disappearance without a trace is not just unlawful, it is dangerous,” said Wahome Thuku, the family’s lawyer.

Ndiang’ui’s younger sister, Njeri, said she believes his disappearance is linked to his online activism.

“All this because he shared a protest plan on his account? Then you need to arrest half the country who reposted the programme. This is intimidation, and it is wrong,” she said.

Faith Odhiambo, the president of LSK, raised concern over the uncertainty surrounding his fate.

“No one has heard from him since that day. Looking back at the chilling events of abductions in the country, we can only hope that he comes back alive. It is a quagmire because nobody even knows his whereabouts. The family is saying he should be brought to court to have his fair day,” said Odhiambo.