Simon Mwangi Githinji
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On January 8, Kinyaiti village in Nyeri County experienced a profound disturbance following the ordeal of a local boda boda rider, Simon Mwangi Githinji.
The 55-year-old had set out on what he anticipated would be a typical day, promising his daughter that he would return soon to escort her to school. However, Mr Githinji's day took a harrowing turn that sparked community outrage regarding the conduct of private security personnel in the region.
While gathering firewood near Solio Ranch, Mr Githinji encountered five men who identified themselves as security officers and accused him of trespassing.
Although he explained that he was on a public road, the situation escalated when they insisted on taking him to the ranch's office for further questioning. What transpired next was a shocking violation of Mr Githinji’s rights. He was handcuffed, robbed of his mobile phone and Sh13,000, and forcibly taken deep into the forest, where he endured a brutal ordeal. Bound to a tree for two days, Mr. Githinji was deprived of food and comfort, plagued by fear amid the sounds of wild animals in the night.
During his captivity, he found solace in prayer, desperately hoping for rescue. Meanwhile, his family confronted the growing uncertainty of his disappearance. His wife, Irene, reported him missing after losing contact with him and finding his unattended motorcycle abandoned near the ranch. Villagers initiated their own search efforts but were met with bureaucratic delays from police, who took considerable time to respond. Reports emerged of Mr Githinji’s phone being traced to Busia, hundreds of kilometres from the ranch.
Following a second day of searching, Mr Githinji’s phone was located near the ranch, but its condition further intensified suspicions about the ranch's security team. The community's frustration erupted into protests, as locals blocked the Nyeri-Nyahururu road, demanding accountability for Mr. Githinji’s treatment and questioning the involvement of the ranch's security personnel. Following his eventual release, Mr. Githinji was taken to a hospital where the psychological impacts of his ordeal began to emerge.
His wife recounts the financial burden faced by their family, compounded by the distressing experience, which has disrupted their daughter’s education. Residents have voiced longstanding grievances concerning the aggressive practices of ranch security guards, a sentiment echoed by Mr. Francis Wanjohi, a family member who recalls a similar tragic incident from six years prior involving a teacher's remains.
In response to the public outcry, representatives from Solio Ranch have denied involvement in Mr. Githinji's ordeal. A spokesperson, who identified himself as Omar, states that their guards were not responsible and claims they actively assisted in the search efforts. Meanwhile, officials from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) are reportedly conducting an internal investigation to clarify the facts of the case, maintaining that their personnel were not involved.
Kieni West Sub-County Police Commander Samuel Ndegwa has announced a forensic investigation into Mr. Githinji's phone to ascertain its last known location.