Activist Boniface Mwangi allegedly abducted by unknown people

Activist Boniface Mwangi was on Sunday morning reported missing after he was allegedly taken by unknown people.

According to his wife, Njeri Mwangi, her husband was taken from his home in Machakos County at around 7:15am.

“This morning at around 7:15, six uninformed people went to courage base and forcefully took my husband from the house. I have no idea who, why, or where they have taken him,” she wrote on X.

Activist Hussein Khalid also said that Mwangi was allegedly abducted probably by people believed to be drawn from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

“Just received reliable information that Boniface Mwangi has been abducted by unknown persons (probably sleuths from DCI and taken to an unknown destination. He was picked up from his family home in Ukambani (Courage Base) around 7am,” he said.

Mr Mwangi was allegedly abducted a few hours before leading protests during the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon on Sunday (today).

The activist, through his social media pages has been mobilising protesters to join the marathon in demonstrations titled #OccupyStanChart.

He urged Kenyans attending the charity marathon to perform some tasks that will help reform the country as they watch and cheer on the athletes.

“Will you come and cheer your friends at the Standard Chartered Marathon? You are a vital part of the race; your cheering will motivate and energise the athletes and help reform our country in the process,” he shared on his social media pages.

The outspoken activist urged Kenyans to carry the Kenyan flag as a symbol of resistance to “Ruto's dictatorship” and also urged them to wear a bandana emblazoned with the anti-government slogan “Ruto Must Go”.

He also encouraged participants to record protest chants and incidents of police brutality and share them online as a form of digital activism.

Demonstrators were to converge on Uhuru Gardens, where the marathon's awards ceremony would take place.

He stressed the importance of remaining calm and peaceful, framing the event as both a sporting celebration and an opportunity for political expression.

He also said the protest would be to honour victims of police brutality in recent protests that led the death of over 60 people.

In September, Human rights activists prevented police from arresting Mr Mwangi during a protest in Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD).

Mr Mwangi was with other activists demanding justice for missing people.

In a video shared on social media, showed Mr Mwangi lying on the ground as police officers tried to pick him up.

Other protesters then swarm the scene, some pushing away officers trying to arrest him.

"Get out of here. And why are you covering your face?" one protester was heard telling the police.

The group of activists had threatened to hand over the petition to the president's office, Harambee House.

The group had been marching outside Harambee House when a team of police officers attempted to arrest Mr Mwangi.

This led to a confrontation between activists and police officers at the gate of Harambee House for almost five minutes. Mwangi could be heard complaining that the officers had injured him during the drama.