Another Kenyan family has been left devastated after their son, Billy Mwangi, was allegedly abducted in broad daylight from a barber shop in Embu County.
Witnesses say four masked men armed with guns stormed the shop on Saturday afternoon, grabbed the 24-year-old, and sped off in a double-cabin pickup truck towards the Embu-Nairobi Highway.
Mwangi’s father, Gerald, recounted the chilling events. “The barber told me my son was waiting for his turn when the men arrived, grabbed him, and left. He asked them what he had done, but they just said, ‘You’ll find out,’ and took him,” he said.
The family has been searching frantically ever since, but with no leads. They suspect the abduction may be linked to a post Mwangi made on social media platform X.
The post reportedly featured an AI-generated image that cast President William Ruto in a negative light.
“If it’s the government behind this, I’m pleading with them to release him. I’ll discipline him myself if he crossed any line. This is not the way to handle young people,” Gerald Mwangi added.
His mother, Regina Wairimu, echoed his plea, criticizing the heavy-handed tactics. “Why use so much force? These children need guidance, not trauma. We are also parents,” she said.
The abduction comes just days after another young man, Peter Muteti, was reportedly kidnapped in Nairobi under similar circumstances. Muteti also posted an AI-generated image of President Ruto.
Embu Police Commander Samuel Muthamia confirmed the report but denied local police involvement. Investigators say Mwangi’s phone was switched off shortly after the incident, complicating efforts to trace him.
The spate of abductions has sparked outrage, with local leaders condemning the incidents and demanding the government address the alarming trend. Concerns over enforced disappearances have resurfaced, leaving families fearful and desperate for answers.
