Billy Mwangi (left) and Peter Muteti Njeru who have been missing since Saturday.
On Saturday, two young men woke up. One went to buy groceries at his local supermarket in Uthiru, Nairobi, leaving his girlfriend in the house as it was chilly and raining, while another, 154 kilometres away in Embu, was in a barber shop waiting to be shaved.
Those two ordinary activities on a lazy Saturday have taken a dramatic turn: as both men are missing four days later, abducted by people their families believe to be the police.
Peter Muteti, 22, was bundled into a black Toyota Prado, while Billy Munyiri Mwangi, 24, was abducted by four hooded men whose vehicle, witnesses said, had uniformed police officers inside.
Kendi Christine, a cousin of Muteti, said that they suspect that he was abducted for what is believed to be an offensive image on social media that angered authorities.
“Muteti has always been a vocal content creator and he was taken by unknown assailants at around 9am while at a local kiosk,” she said.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing a black Toyota Prado, registration number KCF 035M, trailing him moments before his abduction.
The vehicle sped off with Muteti, leaving his family and friends desperate for answers.
The family first reported the matter at Kabete Police Station under OB number 14/22/12/24 on Sunday a day after he was abducted after the police told them that an adult can only be reported missing after 24 hours.
The officers on duty said they were unaware of Muteti’s whereabouts and denied having him in custody.
“We just want him back alive and healthy,” Ms Kendi said.
At the scene of his abduction, there are several CCTV cameras but the family is yet to be allowed to access them as they do not have a court order.
“We are pleading with whoever took Peter to let him come back home,” Kendi added.
“He is not just a content creator. He is a son, a brother, and a friend.”
As authorities remain tight-lipped, the family clings to hope that their son will be safely reunited with them.
Some 150 kilometres away, another family is also crying for help after their son was also dramatically picked up by four hooded men, in a double grey pick-up.
On December 21, Billy Munyiri Mwangi, 24 who is a college student was at a barber's shop in Embu town, waiting to be shaven when a white double-cabin pick-up truck pulled up.
According to his mother, the four hooded men suspected to be government security agents alighted grabbed the unsuspecting young man and started dragging him towards the car, much to the astonishment of onlookers.
When he demanded to know why he was being arrested, the men replied, “You will know later."
The men then bundled Mwangi into the vehicle and sped off, causing tension in the area.
According to the family, their son was taken away on Saturday at around 3pm.
"Our son was at the barber's shop waiting for his turn to be shaved when suddenly the men arrived and took him away without giving any reasons as to why they had picked him up," said Mrs Regina Wairimu, Mr Mwangi’s mother said.
Ready to apologise
Ms Wairimu said she was at home when she received information from the barber that her son had been seized and whisked off to an unknown place.
"We are still in shock following what happened to our son, if it is the government which is responsible, I want my son back home alive. And if my son has done something wrong I'm ready to apologise on his behalf," said Ms Wairimu as she sobbed.
Gerald Karicha, Mr Mwangi’s father, is in agony too.
"I'm in pain and shock following the abduction of my son," said Mr Karicha.
He vividly remembered that he called his son at around 3pm after he failed to show up at home.
"I wanted to watch football on television with my son. So I called him at 3pm but his phone had been switched off. I became suspicious that something was amiss. At around 7pm, we embarked on a thorough search of him in town but we didn't find him. It was then that we reported the matter to Embu Police Station," said Mr Karicha.
On December 22, Mr Karicha returned to the police station but he was told that his son had not been found. Mr Karicha described his son as highly disciplined and wondered why he had been abducted. Mr Mwangi, who lives in Nairobi, was at home for holidays.
"My son recently arrived home for holiday but unfortunately he was abducted even before celebrating Christmas," said Mr Karicha.
Embu County Police Commander Samuel Muthamia admitted that he had received a report of abduction.
“It is true a report was made at the police station that a young man was missing after being abducted. The unfortunate thing is that none took the number plate of the double cabin vehicle which was used to carry the young man," the Embu police boss said.
He said preliminary investigations established that Mr Mwangi's phone was switched off immediately after he was taken away.
The phone was switched off, just 400 metres from the scene.
He said detectives were trying to find out the whereabouts of Mr Mwangi and the motive behind the abduction.
"We have deployed all our mechanisms of work to try to establish where Mr Mwangi could be. I believe that we shall be able to locate him by using all means possible," said Mr Muthamia.
Embu residents condemned the incident.
"If the young man has committed a criminal offence, he should have been lawfully arrested and arraigned in court. These abductions by hooded men should cease,” one of the residents said.
Anti-government protests
The residents said the abductions of citizens, especially of those who belong to Generation Z, known to have led anti-tax, anti-government protests in June, only confirms the growing public feeling that the government does not believe in the rule of law.
In recent months, Kenya has witnessed a worrying trend of enforced disappearances targeting vocal individuals and government critics. Some victims have been found dead, while others resurface weeks later, often traumatised after prolonged detention.
Human rights defenders have raised the alarm over the pattern, describing it as a blatant disregard for the rule of law. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has recorded 66 cases of people who are thought to have been abducted.
or have gone missing since the Gen Z protests began in June, leaving behind relatives and friends who are desperately searching for them.
The protests started in response to a specific bill raising taxes but quickly encompassed wider demands for reform, increased government accountability, and the resignation of President William Ruto.
According to the KNCHR, at least 60 people have been killed and 601 injured in clashes with the police and other security personnel, and 1,376 have been arrested.
Some of those declared missing have resurfaced alive, but others have been found dead.
