NAIROBI, Kenya- After nearly a week of national anxiety, digital campaigns, and a court-ordered habeas corpus, blogger Ndiangui Kinyagia resurfaced—safe, sound, and oddly scripted.
He appeared visibly withdrawn and deeply traumatized in court, his eyes darting around with a vacant, unsettled glare—like someone who had been yanked from a different world and thrust into the courtroom without warning.
In a statement issued on Thursday, lawyer Wahome Thuku, speaking on behalf of the family, confirmed that Ndiangui had made contact with them.
He reported being in good health and explained his sudden disappearance as an act of self-preservation, fearing for his life after allegedly learning that officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) were after him over unspecified criminal allegations.
“Mr. 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 is guaranteed,” Thuku stated.
But even as the family tried to put the matter to rest, Kenyans online—especially the ever-watchful Gen Z—are not buying it.
Their skepticism isn’t unfounded.
Ndiangui’s reappearance came on the day DCI boss Mohammed Amin was expected to appear before court under habeas corpus orders to explain the blogger’s whereabouts—alive or dead.
The timing, many have pointed out, seems too convenient.
“This reeks of a cover-up,” a social media user wrote. “Ndiangui was either abducted or intimidated into silence. We’ve seen this script before.”
Who shaved Ndiang’ui? The girlfriend? 🤔
Earlier in the week, court records showed that the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) had obtained habeas corpus orders compelling the DCI to produce the blogger.
His family had reported a break-in at his home in Kinoo, where several items were taken by men believed to be detectives.
Photos circulating online appear to show a DCI property inventory sheet Ndiangui allegedly shared with his family before his phone went silent.
In many people’s minds, this wasn’t the behavior of a man going into “hiding”.
Some activists, including Boniface Mwangi, took the lawyer’s statement at face value and went on to condemn Ndiangui and his family, accusing them of misleading the public.
Among the critics was MP Gathoni Wamuchomba, who called the situation “embarrassing” if indeed Ndiangui had gone into hiding.
However, a growing section of Kenyans remain skeptical—arguing that the DCI cannot be trusted, especially given past instances where the agency and its leadership have been accused of making false claims, even under oath.
Fueling the mystery further are changes in Ndiangui’s physical appearance.
Several users pointed out that his signature afro hairstyle had been shaved, which many believe is a tell-tale sign among victims of abductions and enforced disappearances.
In past cases involving human rights defenders and controversial bloggers, similar transformations have marked their sudden “reappearances.”
“It’s the shaved hair for me,” wrote one X user. “You don’t go into hiding and decide to get a shave. You do that when someone wants to break your identity.”
Ndiangui’s case fits a pattern seen too often in Kenya—where vocal critics of the state or its organs vanish under unclear circumstances, only to later “resurface” with carefully curated narratives.
Human rights watchdogs like Amnesty International Kenya and Haki Africa have repeatedly raised alarm over the rise in enforced disappearances and extra-judicial detentions by rogue security agents.
So, was Ndiangui truly in hiding? Was he abducted?
Ndiang’ui Kinyagia has given undeserved credence to positions taken by NPS and DCI on police abductions, embarrassed a well meaning Judge and dedicated public efforts to reign in on police impunity. The single incident should however not derail momentum for police accountability.
