Amnesty International has called on Kenyan authorities to locate and release Tanzanian activist Twaha Mwaipaya, who was reportedly abducted in Machakos County last weekend. The organization demands that the government guarantees Mwaipaya's safety and investigates the circumstances of his disappearance. Mwaipaya was abducted on October 25, 2026, while traveling in a taxi in Kamulu, Machakos County. Individuals in three vehicles, including a Toyota Land Cruiser hardtop, intercepted the taxi and took him away.
The abduction has raised concerns about the protection of foreign nationals, particularly political dissidents and human rights defenders seeking refuge in Kenya. Amnesty International warns that Kenya risks becoming a hunting ground for people fleeing political persecution in the region. The organization cites repeated reports of abductions and attempted abductions of foreign nationals on Kenyan soil, pointing to a disturbing pattern of transnational repression. Governments or their suspected agents seek to silence critics beyond their own borders.
Amnesty International references previous abductions involving foreign opposition figures and activists in Kenya, some with devastating consequences. In November 2024, Ugandan opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye was abducted in Nairobi before resurfacing four days later in Kampala, where he was arraigned before a military court. The organization condemned Besigye's abduction and the absence of a lawful extradition process, calling for his immediate release.
The organization also cites the cases of South Sudanese human rights lawyer and activist Dong Samuel Luak and opposition figure Aggrey Ezbon Idri, who were abducted in Nairobi in January 2017 and subsequently killed in South Sudan. Their cases serve as a stark reminder that an abduction can be the beginning of a chain of violations that ends in death, with families left without answers and perpetrators beyond the reach of justice.
Another case involves Ethiopian national Samson Gebreigzi Teklemichael, whose whereabouts have remained unknown since his reported abduction at the Kileleshwa roundabout in Nairobi on November 19, 2021. Amnesty International also raised concerns over the reported abduction of South Sudanese national Athorbey Al-Gaddhaffy-Dit in Nairobi in June this year. He was reportedly taken to South Sudan, where he was detained for nearly two months before being released in August and returning to Kenya in deteriorating health.
Amnesty International criticizes the Kenyan government's repeated disassociation from reported abductions on Kenyan soil, stating that such denials are insufficient without effective investigations and accountability. The organization emphasizes that the state's responsibility extends beyond determining whether its officials directly participated in an abduction. It must also take reasonable and effective steps to prevent foreseeable threats to life and security, investigate violations, and protect those at risk.
The organization cites Kenya's Constitution, which guarantees human dignity and the right to freedom and security of the person. Kenya's international obligations, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and refugee protection conventions, also require safeguards against arbitrary detention, torture, and unlawful returns. Amnesty International urges the Kenyan government to respect its domestic and international obligations to protect human rights.
Key points
- - Amnesty International demands the release of abducted Tanzanian activist Twaha Mwaipaya. - The organization urges Kenyan authorities to investigate and ensure Mwaipaya's safety. - The abduction highlights concerns about the protection of foreign nationals seeking refuge in Kenya.
