The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has raised concern over the reported abduction of Tanzanian political activist Twaha Salim Mwaipaya in Machakos County, with his whereabouts remaining unknown.
In a statement, the commission said Mwaipaya was travelling in a taxi on Sunday afternoon, October 25, 2026, to visit friends in Kamulu when the vehicle was intercepted by unidentified individuals at around 2pm.
The individuals reportedly forced him out of the taxi and drove away with him in a convoy of three vehicles.
Mwaipaya had fled Tanzania for Kenya in 2025 over fears for his life and safety, according to the commission.
KNCHR warned that the incident reflected a concerning pattern of reported abductions, enforced disappearances and unlawful cross-border transfers involving people living in or seeking refuge in Kenya.
The commission cited previous cases, including the reported gunpoint abductions of Tanzanian nationals Maria Tsehai Sarungi and Mshabaha Hamza in Nairobi.
It also pointed to the repatriation of four Turkish refugees following their reported abduction in Nairobi in October 2024, which Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs acknowledged, as well as the reported abduction of Ugandan opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye in Nairobi in November 2024 and his subsequent transfer to Uganda.
The commission’s statement called attention to the safety of individuals seeking sanctuary in Kenya amid concerns over reported cross-border incidents.
