Residents of Embu town staged protests on Friday, December 27, demanding the immediate release of Billy Mwangi, a 24-year-old youth who was forcibly abducted six days earlier. Mwangi was taken from a barber shop in Embu on Saturday, December 21, by four armed men in a double-cabin pickup truck. The incident has sparked outrage in the town, leading to roadblocks and fires in the streets as locals expressed their frustration over the escalating number of abductions in the region.
Mwangi’s family has been desperately searching for him since his abduction, but their efforts have yielded no results. According to his relatives, the young man was seized by masked individuals and driven off towards the Embu-Nairobi Highway. The family has voiced their concerns about the mysterious nature of the abduction, which they believe may be connected to a controversial post Mwangi made on social media prior to his disappearance. Reports suggest that he shared an AI-generated image that depicted President William Ruto in an unfavorable light, leading some to speculate that his post could have made him a target for abduction.
The case of Mwangi’s abduction is part of a disturbing trend in Embu, as he is one of seven individuals abducted in December alone. All the victims are said to have made controversial social media posts targeting the government or President Ruto. The list of abducted social media users includes Steve Kavingo Mbisi, Peter Muteti, Bernard Kavuli, Rony Kiplang’at, and Gideon Kibet, also known as Kibet Bull. These incidents have raised alarms about the safety of citizens who express dissent online, with critics accusing the government of suppressing free speech through intimidation.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has expressed concern over the alarming rise in abductions, noting that at least 29 individuals remain missing from the 82 reported cases since June. Human rights activists are calling for a thorough investigation into the matter and greater accountability from the authorities.
Both the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the National Police Service (NPS) have denied any involvement in the abductions, further deepening the mystery surrounding these incidents. As the protests in Embu continue, there is growing pressure on the government to act swiftly and address the rising fears among residents about their safety. The case of Billy Mwangi remains unresolved, and his family and supporters are calling for justice and his safe return.
