A man who was found brutally beaten and dumped in Ruaka on Monday night has been identified by his family as Jackson Njuguna and not missing IT expert Ndiangui Kinyagia, as widely claimed on social media.
Mr Njuguna, 28, a clothes vendor in Ruaka, is currently fighting for his life in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) after he was admitted by unknown individuals.
Ruaka assault victim identified as Jackson Njuguna
The family had rushed to the hospital after reports surfaced that a man had been dumped in Ruaka and brought to KNH.
Jackson Ndungu's aunt and family spokesperson, Joyce Njuguna.
Photo credit: Nation
Speaking to Daily Nation at KNH, Jackson’s aunt Joyce Njuguna confirmed his identity.
The family who last saw Jackson on Sunday night was thrown into panic on Tuesday morning after disturbing social media posts falsely identified him as the missing blogger.
“We were with Jackson on Sunday, and when we woke up on Tuesday, we saw viral posts claiming he was blogger Ndiangui Kinyagia,” Ms Njuguna said.
Jackson Ndungu
Photo credit: Pool
According to the family, Jackson appeared to have been severely beaten and was in critical condition when they finally located him at KNH, after a frantic search across multiple hospitals.
“We went to Ruaka Police Station where we were told the young man had first been taken to Aga Khan Hospital. At Aga Khan, we were referred to Kiambu Hospital, but they said they hadn't received him. Eventually, we found him at Kenyatta Hospital. He was hooked to machines, breathing, but clearly unstable,” she explained.
The incident comes amid a surge in abductions and unrest across the country linked to ongoing protests.
Jackson Ndungu's mother, Ruth Wambui.
Photo credit: Nation
Jackson’s mother, Ruth Wambui, noted that her son had no involvement in activism or politics.
“I’m baffled by claims tying my son to any abduction-related narratives. Jackson has never taken part in anti-government protests,” Ms Wambui said.
