Peter Kawanjiru: Family Recounts Youth Leader’s Dramatic 'Abduction' by Suspected DCI Officers
- A late-night operation targeting a youth leader, Peter Kawanjiru, has sparked public uproar and raised fresh questions about due process
- His family members described a tense standoff with armed officers during a high-stakes raid at their private residence
- His mother, Beatrice Wanjiru, explained how the suspected DCI officers carried out their assignment, leaving no trace of evidence
Nancy Odindo, a TUKO.co.ke journalist, has over four years of experience covering Kenyan politics, news, and features for digital and print media.
Nairobi: Peter Kinyanjui Kawanjiru, the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) youth coordinator for Kiambu county, was reportedly abducted by armed men believed to be officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over 'Wantam' remarks.
Source: Twitter
His family has since come forward to recount the shocking events that left them shaken and their son missing.
The disappearance of Kawanjiru sparked widespread outrage across the country, especially after a viral video captured heavily armed officers firing gunshots during the dramatic nighttime arrest.
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What happened during Peter Kawanjiru's alleged abduction?
The family reports that a group of uniformed officers arrived at their Limuru residence around 8.30pm and forcefully broke into the house.
They claim the officers identified themselves as DCI personnel from Kiambu Road and demanded to see Kawanjiru.
Kawanjiru’s wife, Catherine Wambui, said the officers became aggressive after she refused to open the door.
“They started banging on the door with heavy metal rods. I screamed, and a large crowd gathered outside,” she recounted.
Source: Twitter
What did Kawanjiru's mother say after his abduction?
His mother, Beatrice Wanjiru, expressed disbelief at the operation’s scale and conduct.
“I asked them if my son had killed someone or stolen anything. They told me they were just doing their job. But why send so many vehicles for one person?” she asked.
She claimed that the standoff lasted nearly four hours, with additional officers and vehicles arriving as locals resisted the raid.
Witnesses said the officers fired live rounds into the air to disperse the crowd before forcibly removing Kawanjiru from the house.
“It was a terrible scene. They fired gunshots and used flashlights to collect everything, leaving no evidence behind,” Wanjiru said.
Since the incident, the family has visited several police stations in search of Kawanjiru, but all efforts have been in vain.
They believe his only offence was chanting the 'Wantam' slogan and suspect that local politicians may be behind his abduction.
Meanwhile, according to earlier reports, Kawanjiru was targeted over allegations of funding disruptive protests in Nairobi and Kiambu counties.
The demonstrations, held on June 25, turned chaotic as protesters set ablaze the Kikuyu Law Courts, several police stations, and other government facilities.
The case has heightened public concern over the growing trend of excessive force, extrajudicial arrests, and enforced disappearances, especially targeting individuals critical of the government.
Did DCI raid Ndiangui Kinyagia's house?
In other news, DCI director Amin Mohamed confirmed that IT expert and blogger Ndiangui Kinyagia was profiled and traced to his residence in Kinoo after allegedly posting an inflammatory message on X related to the June 25 protests.
Although the officers did not find him at home, a search was conducted, and several electronic devices believed to be relevant to ongoing investigations were recovered.
The DCI boss also confirmed that Ndiangui is not in police custody and urged him to present himself at any police station.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
