The night of August 19 remains a vivid memory for Bob Njagi, a political activist and one of the Kitengela three.
His sudden disappearance, alongside two activist brothers, sparked widespread outrage across the country.
For 32 days, Njagi and the two brothers were held in secret, enduring appalling conditions before being unexpectedly released.
During this time, the police, led by Acting Inspector General Gilbert Masengeli, failed to comply with a court order to produce the three men.
Despite repeated summons, Masengeli was convicted of contempt of court for his failure to appear and explain the disappearances.
As a result, he was sentenced to six months in prison.
However, a public apology to the judiciary and his replacement by Douglas Kanja as the new police chief spared him from serving time.
On the night of his abduction, Njagi was on his way home to Kitengela, traveling in a public service vehicle (PSV) after a meeting at Kamukunji police station.
As the matatu stopped in Mlolongo, just a short distance from his destination, four hooded men boarded the vehicle, accusing him of carrying illegal firearms.
Terrified, the passengers were warned not to film the unfolding drama.
Without warning, the men grabbed Njagi and dragged him from his seat. He recalls the scene with disbelief, as fellow passengers shrank back in shock.
At the same time, activists Jamil and Aslam Longton, known as the Kitengela brothers, were also abducted that night, having just left their home.
Njagi later recounted his ordeal: “It was around 10:30 to 11 p.m. when I was abducted. When the vehicle stopped in Mlolongo, four masked men got in, shouting at me in Kiswahili, accusing me of carrying a gun.
I was startled because I don’t own a firearm,” Njagi explained.
“It was also the same day the Longton brothers were taken, so I wasn’t entirely shocked by the situation.”
He was dragged into a waiting vehicle, where he was beaten as the car sped away.
“Inside the white vehicle, there were five men two in the front, three in the back and I was assaulted the entire journey. We drove for about an hour before coming to a sudden stop,” he said.
“Then, everything went dark. It was the beginning of a 32-day nightmare of being held incommunicado.”
Blinded, handcuffed, and disoriented, Njagi was transferred to another vehicle and driven for 30 minutes in total silence.
When they arrived at their destination, he was forced into a small, dark room measuring about six by four feet.
Stripped of his clothes, he was left handcuffed and blindfolded for two days, without food, and with only small amounts of water.
On the third day, the handcuffs were moved to the front, and Njagi was transferred to a new cell.
For the next 30 days, he was kept in isolation, with minimal food, scarce water, and little sleep, his only interaction being when a person occasionally opened the door to place a cup of tea and replace the toilet bucket.
After enduring this torment, Njagi was finally released on September 20 at around 12:30 a.m.
Two men entered his cell, instructed him to get dressed, and escorted him to a waiting vehicle.
He was driven to Tigoni police station, where he requested the officer to contact his family, who were alerted to his release.
Njagi’s harrowing ordeal, alongside the mysterious disappearances of his fellow activists, raised serious concerns about the country’s human rights record and the role of security forces in suppressing dissent.
His case remains one of many that highlight the dangers faced by political activists in Kenya.
Bamburi Cement Set To Join Amsons Group As Shareholders Greenlight Acquisition
Email your news TIPS to Editor@NairobiNews.co.ke
