Residents of Embu town on Friday took to the streets to protest the kidnapping of Billy Mwangi.
The 24-year-old was forcibly taken from a barber shop in Embu on Saturday, December 21.
On Friday, locals set fires in Embu town and blocked roads to demand the release of Mwangi, who has been missing for six days now.
Mwangi’s family claims he was snatched away from a barber shop by four armed individuals wearing masks and traveling in a double cabin pickup before speeding off towards the Embu-Nairobi Highway.
Since Saturday, the family has searched throughout the county without success. They express uncertainty about the events leading to his abduction, with reports suggesting that a post he made on X featuring an AI-generated image that portrayed President Ruto unfavorably could have made him a target for kidnapping.
Mwangi is among seven youths who have been abducted this month following controversial social media posts aimed at President William Ruto and his administration.
Social media users Steve Kavingo Mbisi, Peter Muteti, Bernard Kavuli, Rony Kiplang’at, and Gideon Kibet alias Kibet Bull have been kidnapped in December, increasing the total number of abductions since June to 82.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) reports that, of the reported cases, 29 individuals remain missing.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and National Police Service (NPS) have denied any involvement in the abductions.
