The case of Ndiangui Kinyagia has taken a dramatic turn, and not in a way that gives activists any credit. What started as a serious outcry over alleged abduction has now turned into what many are calling a shameful public stunt.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has added fuel to the fire by boldly declaring that these so-called disappearances are nothing but political theatre, staged to fool the public and win sympathy from foreign audiences.
He accused Kinyagia of lying to Kenyans by pretending to be kidnapped, while in reality, he had gone into hiding by choice.Cherargei made it clear that there was no involvement of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations as claimed.
According to him, Kinyagia’s act not only deceived Kenyans but also wasted the country’s time and energy. The senator didn’t stop there. He went on to criticize High Court Judge Chacha Mwita for ordering the Inspector General and DCI to produce Kinyagia in court.
Cherargei believes that even the judge was misled into playing a part in this circus and should withdraw the order to avoid being remembered for enabling such tricks.
The backlash hasn’t ended with Cherargei. Cyprian Is Nyakundi, a known blogger who rarely holds back, questioned the entire episode and suggested that the government might have allowed Kinyagia to go into hiding just to cool public rage.
According to Nyakundi, this was a well-executed psychological operation aimed at killing momentum around growing protests and outcry. He painted a picture of a coordinated script, where Kinyagia would disappear, make Kenyans panic, then resurface with a carefully crafted message to calm the masses.
Nelson Havi also criticized the matter, pointing out that Kinyagia had embarrassed not just the judiciary but the entire movement against police brutality.
He said that the activist made a mockery of genuine efforts by Kenyans to hold police accountable and had put a stain on those who have actually suffered at the hands of rogue security agencies.
Havi didn’t mince his words he called the whole thing a dangerous manipulation of public trust and a betrayal of real victims.
This mess has raised bigger questions. If what Cherargei and others are saying is true, then this isn’t just about one person faking an abduction. It’s about undermining the whole struggle for human rights and civil liberties.
It’s about playing with emotions to gain attention, funding, and fake political relevance. Ndiangui Kinyagia has placed a stain on public trust and made it harder for real victims to be believed.
He’s turned an important conversation about justice into a joke. The consequences of such actions are not just political they are deeply personal for those who have lost loved ones in real enforced disappearances.
Kenyans now have to ask harder questions about who speaks for them and whether some activists are more interested in fame than justice.
This kind of behavior only strengthens those who already doubt the legitimacy of civil society efforts. As it stands, the credibility of people like Kinyagia is completely shattered. What began as a serious concern has become a lesson in how not to fight for justice.
