Lobby links disappearance of Tanzanian activist Twaha Mwaipaya to abduction squad

By  Sam Kiplagat

Court Reporter

Nation Media Group

A local lobby group has moved to the High Court seeking the immediate production of Tanzanian national Twaha Mwaipaya, who was allegedly abducted on October 25 at Kamulu, Nairobi County.

In a habeas corpus application, Vocal Africa says that despite filing a missing person report at Ruai Police Station on the same day and trying to trace him through various police stations in Nairobi County, no information on his whereabouts has been forthcoming.

The organisation says Mr Mwaipaya is a known critic of the Tanzanian government with a large following on social media. It argues there is a real and imminent risk that, unless the court acts swiftly, he will be forcibly transferred to Tanzania, where he could be tortured, held incommunicado or subjected to other human rights violations and grave harm.

“This application of habeas corpus writ is intended to secure the immediate production of the subject whose liberty and life are under immense threat,” the petition states.

Court documents state that he was allegedly abducted in broad daylight on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at Kanisani stage in the Kamulu area. His whereabouts and state of life remain unknown. The lobby says none of his family members or advocates has been informed of the reasons for his arrest, the agency responsible for his detention, or the place where he is being held.

“That pending the inter parties hearing and determination of this application, a mandatory order of writ of habeas corpus be and hereby issue directing the 1st Respondent, to have the subject Twaha Mwaipaya before this Court or the Milimani High Court Criminal Duty Court within twenty-four (24) hours with the original of any warrant or order for detention,” the petition adds.

The lobby says the abductors’ modus operandi “is hidden in plain sight, black double cabin, fake number plates/plateless motor vehicles, balaclavas/ski masks, dark shades, armed with pistols and guns while operating in commando style”.

It adds that such incidents have become far too frequent, citing the recent enforced disappearances of Macmillan Kiarie, Evans Otieno, Michael Oloo and Abdulaziz Duba, who it says were abducted in a similar manner and bundled into a black double cabin. Their whereabouts remain unknown.

“It is now more concerning that this abduction squad are not only abducting Kenyans but even foreign nationals, the Subject being of Tanzanian Nationality,” the petition says.

The petition further alleges that the same “abduction squad” abducted Ugandan opposition figure Dr Kizza Besigye on November 16, 2024, and forcibly transferred him to Uganda, where he is in detention facing treason charges.

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