Protests rock Embu town as residents demand Billy Mwangi's release

The 24-year-old was forcefully taken from a barber shop in Embu on Saturday, December 21. 

On Friday, residents lit fire in Embu town, and blocked roads to demand the release of Mwangi, who has been missing for 6 days now. 

Mwangi's family says he was forcibly taken away from a barber shop by four armed men who wore masks and were traveling in a double cabin pick up before speeding off towards the Embu-Nairobi Highway.

Since Saturday the family has conducted searches across the county with no success. They say they are still in the dark over what could have led to his abduction with reports indicating that a post he made on X with an AI generated picture which depicted President Ruto in bad light could have been the reason why he was a target of abduction.

Mwangi is among 7 youths who have been abducted this month after making controversial social media posts targeted towards President William Ruto and his government. 

Social media users Steve Kavingo Mbisi, Peter Muteti, Bernard Kavuli, Rony Kiplang’at and Gideon Kibet alias Kibet Bull have been abducted in December, bringing the total number of abductions since June to 82.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) says that out of the reported cases, 29 people are still missing.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and National Police Service (NPS) have denied involvement in the abductions.