On Sunday 7th of June, a trending topic #WhereIsBogonkoBosire brought to memory something we may have forgotten in recent times. Controversial blogger and journalist Bogonko Bosire has been missing since September 18, 2013, gone without a trace. He made a name as a fearless blogger who wrote on the ICC case facing the President and his deputy. He rubbed the mighty and powerful the wrong way many times with some of the stories that he published on his blog The Jackal News. A look up on his website shows that the domain is no longer active.
His disappearance was actively pursued in the mainstream and online media. With conspiracies emerging that the state or the ICC has a hand in his vanishing. Since then, there has been a Facebook update on his page from the Hague and more rumors that he may have been seen in Congo.
His disappearance remains one of the unsolved mysteries of the recent times as it is alleged that he may have met with some ICC investigators before he disappeared. Was he forced into hiding or was he taken out of the picture by dark forces?
Further compounding this, his twitter account was active for a period during when he was missing. Posting cryptic clues and questions as to what may have happened and confirming his death. His disappearance, either by design or by other forces show the dangers bloggers, freelance journalists and those working in small media houses face. There are forces actively working against freedom of expression in Kenya.
It started with the question that many have been asking, just where is Bogonko Bosire?
The Government should tell us #WhereIsBogonkoBosire
— Kijana Wa Polisi (@HizelMutahi) June 7, 2015
Just thinking ..How comes BOGONKO Is still missing …… ??? #WhereIsBogonkoBosire — Ryan254 (@Ryan_Mucilih) June 7, 2015
The responsibility for finding was placed firmly in the hands of the government, which according to sentiments, is not doing enough to find him.
#WhereIsBogonkoBosire It is a duty of the government to search all the missing people and take them to there families. — Kijana Wa Polisi (@HizelMutahi) June 7, 2015
#WhereIsBogonkoBosire since his disappearance we have not heard anything from state house.
— elijah omwoyo (@elijahomwoyo) June 7, 2015
Many more put up theories as to where and why he could be missing. From police cells,
Nyayo chambers #WhereIsBogonkoBosire — AFRICAN ARROW (@krissmoris) June 7, 2015
I smell too much intrigues surrounding his mysterious disappearance that needs to be unearthed.#WhereIsBogonkoBosire
— Cornelius Motanya (@am_motanya) June 7, 2015
Wait a minute this niga»»» might be in secret NSIS facility #WhereIsBogonkoBosire — MAwiRaVictor® (@Wira_Victor) June 7, 2015
With little space for freedom and democracy,might be on the run and sought assylum…maybe a political fugitive!#WhereIsBogonkoBosire
— Cornelius Motanya (@am_motanya) June 7, 2015
Some still remember the man as most say, he was an intelligent and talented journalist who was never shy of controversy.
Bogonko Bosire was an intelligent, talented — if not sometimes controversial journalist. #WhereIsBogonkoBosire
— Kenya ni Kwetu (@NotInKenya) June 7, 2015
The spirit and desire to find Bosire lives on. What happened to him could happen to other journalists and bloggers and it would curtail freedom of expression.
#WhereIsBogonkoBosire We can’t let this inquisition die, it’s injustice to other journalists who could be subject to the same treatment.
— Carol_K (@CarolKayamba) June 7, 2015
Will Bosire ever be found? What else can we hold onto but hope?
We are still hoping…#WhereIsBogonkoBosire
— AFRICAN ARROW (@krissmoris) June 7, 2015