Tanzanian opposition activist Twaha Mwaipaya was reported missing in Kenya on Sunday, according to a police report, marking the latest case involving the disappearance of a government critic within the East African nation.
Mwaipaya was travelling by taxi to visit friends in Kamulu, located approximately 35 kilometers or 22 miles east of Nairobi, when three unidentified men intercepted his vehicle at about 2 p.m. local time, or 1100 GMT, on Sunday. According to Amnesty International researcher Sikula Oniala, the men ordered the taxi driver to get out of the vehicle before driving away with Mwaipaya still inside.
Independent verification of the account has not been established. It remains unclear who took Mwaipaya, whether he is still being held in Kenya, or if he has suffered any harm. Spokespeople for both Kenyan and Tanzanian police did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the incident.
The disappearance follows a series of reported cross-border abductions targeting government critics in Kenya. In November 2024, Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was abducted in Nairobi before later appearing before a military court in Uganda, where he faces treason charges. Additionally, Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai was briefly detained in Nairobi in January 2025.
John Heche, vice-chairman of Tanzania’s main opposition party, CHADEMA—whose leader Tundu Lissu is currently on trial for treason—urged Kenyan authorities to assist in locating Mwaipaya. Nairobi cannot remain a hub for abductions conducted by regional authorities, Heche said.
