The saga surrounding the disappearance of blogger Ndiangui Kinyagia has taken a dramatic turn, with NARC-Kenya leader Martha Karua leveling scathing accusations against the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). Karua has publicly lambasted the DCI for what she describes as a "flagrant defiance of court orders" in failing to produce Kinyagia, despite an active habeas corpus application demanding his presentation and escalating public concern over his whereabouts.
"There has been no compliance. They are not taking the orders of this court seriously,” Karua declared, her frustration palpable. Underscoring the core mandate of the investigative agency, she added, “It is their business to find him — that’s why we pay them.” Her words resonate with a public increasingly demanding accountability from state institutions.
In response to the mounting pressure, Sergeant Samuel Itegi, a DCI officer, submitted a sworn affidavit maintaining that Kinyagia had not been arrested and was not being held by the agency. The affidavit dismissed claims of the blogger being held incommunicado as "malicious, unfounded, and baseless." This official denial, however, has done little to quell the skepticism.
Intriguingly, the DCI's affidavit also shed light on the intelligence that reportedly prompted their interest in Kinyagia. It claimed that information received on June 20, 2025, linked the blogger to online posts allegedly inciting the public to "storm State House" – actions that investigators contend violated the Protected Areas Act. These posts, traced to an X (formerly Twitter) account, had earlier shared a protest timetable for a "peaceful demonstration in memory of Gen Z protesters killed during last year’s June 25 protest outside Parliament." This connection to the recent youth-led protests adds another layer of political sensitivity to the case.
According to the DCI's account, officers tracked Kinyagia to an apartment in Kinoo, but found it locked with his phones reportedly off. The affidavit claims a search was conducted without a warrant on the night of June 21, under Section 60 of the National Police Service Act. During this operation, laptops, mobile phones, passports, and other personal items were reportedly seized. The DCI states that the building's caretaker witnessed the search and indicated that Kinyagia had earlier left with a man and two women.
Martha Karua has not been swayed by the DCI's narrative. She has openly questioned the integrity of the DCI’s account, alleging that the affidavit itself may contain misleading or even forged elements. "We have noted several differences,” she stated, pointing to what she perceives as inconsistencies in the agency’s documentation and timeline of events.
Karua further criticized the DCI for choosing to address the matter through a late-evening public denial rather than appearing before the court to provide their explanation. “He appears before the public to deny holding Ndiangui, but can’t come to court and explain himself? That’s sub judice,” she submitted, implying that the DCI's public statements could prejudice the ongoing legal proceedings.
The NARC-Kenya leader remains resolute in her demand, placing the responsibility for Kinyagia's safety and whereabouts squarely on the state. “Produce Ndiangui. That’s your job. That’s why we pay you,” she reiterated, echoing the sentiments of many who fear for the blogger's safety.
