Nairobi, Kenya | By Michael Wandati | Controversial political commentator Francis Gaitho remains unaccounted for following an incident at his residence on the night of Tuesday, October 22.
The blogger, Francis Gaitho, known for his outspoken critiques of political affairs, was reportedly taken from his Nairobi home by unidentified individuals.
Blogger Cyprian Nyakundi shared CCTV footage allegedly capturing the arrest. In the video, a group of men can be seen walking through an empty hallway before eventually leading Gaitho out and towards several vehicles.
The footage, timestamped at around 8:25 p.m., shows Gaitho handcuffed and wearing a black t-shirt, being placed into the trunk of a black SUV, which promptly drove away.
Before the incident, Gaitho posted two tweets, warning his followers of an imminent arrest, but has not been heard from since.
At first, he shared, “Police outside the residence I’ve been staying at.”
He then posted, “10 police surrounding my house in Westlands. Alert everyone!”
While the reasons for his arrest remain unclear, concern is mounting over the whereabouts of controversial blogger Francis Gaitho, as Kenyans on X (formerly Twitter) rally behind the hashtag #FreeGaitho. Many users are also circulating posters featuring his image with the message “Free Gaitho.”
Notable X personalities, including Nelson Amenya, Eric Amerix, and Dennis Ombachi, have joined the online campaign, calling for the immediate release of the outspoken commentator.
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This is not Gaitho’s first brush with the law. In July 2024, he was arrested and charged with spreading false information after claiming that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) apprehended the wrong suspect in connection to the Kware murders.
Gaitho was accused of using his X account to intentionally post the misleading content on July 15, 2024, around 2:00 p.m.
At the time, Gaitho pleaded not guilty before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Robinson Ondieki, requesting lenient bond conditions. His lawyer argued that he posed no flight risk, as he had been arrested at his residence.
