Civil society organisations have condemned the alleged abduction of Tanzanian activist and Chadema youth organiser Twaha Salim Mwaipaya.
Mwaipaya, a vocal critic of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration, had fled to Kenya seeking refuge.
He was reportedly abducted by unidentified armed men on October 25, 2026, in Kamulu, Machakos County. At the time, he was travelling in a taxi to visit friends when his vehicle was intercepted at approximately 2pm, according to Amnesty International Kenya.
Chadema Vice-Chairman John Heche appealed to Kenyan President William Ruto to help find Mwaipaya and ensure his safety.
“We are aware that the government of Kenya has no reason to abduct Twaha. But we are also aware that it’s not easy for abductors to enter another country and abduct someone without the assistance or knowledge of that government,” said Heche.
“We appeal to Kenyan President William Ruto to ensure that Tanzanian political activist and opposition member Twaha Mwaipaya is found alive and safe.”
Heche said such an abduction within Kenya’s borders would be a serious blot on Ruto’s government. He added that asylum seekers must be protected.
Heche linked the incident to wider patterns of intimidation in Tanzania and urged citizens not to accept political violence.
Human rights organisations, including Amnesty, the Pan African Solidarity Network (PASNet) and the Defenders Coalition, have expressed grave concern that Kenya is becoming a hunting ground for regional exiles.
“We demand immediate intervention to establish his whereabouts, protect his life and secure his safe and unconditional release,” said PASNet in a statement.
“Based upon reports from eyewitnesses, the abductors used three vehicles, including a Toyota Land Cruiser Hardtop. These are concrete investigative leads.
“The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the National Intelligence Service (NIS) must immediately deploy their investigative and intelligence capabilities to locate him and support his safe recovery.”
Mwaipaya sought safety in exile in Kenya after an earlier abduction and severe torture by Tanzanian police.
“The EAC’s commitments to human rights and the rule of law cannot be overridden by arrangements between political leaders. We demand an immediate, independent investigation into possible coordination and accountability for everyone who ordered, authorised, facilitated or concealed these crimes, regardless of office or rank,” said PASNet in a statement.
Fellow Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai—who survived a brief abduction in Nairobi in early 2025—said that Mwaipaya had previously been detained and tortured by Tanzanian authorities.
Activists are calling for strict inspection at border checkpoints such as Namanga, fearing he may be forcibly returned to Tanzania where his safety is heavily compromised.
“Authorities must urgently investigate this information and prevent any unlawful cross-border transfer,” read the statement by PASNet.
Civil society organisations have expressed concern over a pattern within the East African Community whereby political dissidents are no longer safe from their governments back home.
They cited the abduction of Dr Kizza Besigye in Nairobi in November 2024 and how he was forcibly returned to Uganda, saying it remains a stark warning.
“On 17 October 2026, Rwandan dissident Robert Kabera was found beheaded near Kampala, Uganda. He had fled Rwanda and repeatedly reported threats and attacks to OHCHR, Ugandan duty-bearers, among others. His killing demands an independent investigation, including into transnational repression, and accountability for those responsible,” said PASNet.
In light of the documented record of extrajudicial killings, torture and enforced disappearances under President Hassan’s administration, as well as Mwaipaya’s own experience of detention and torture, members of civil society fear that he will be exposed to renewed torture, disappearance or murder if he is returned to Tanzania.
“Kenyan authorities must act now to save his life, treating this as an immediate threat and preventing any secret transfer across the border into the danger he fled,” they said.
The local advocacy group Linda Mwananchi Movement strongly condemned the incident on Monday, demanding that Kenyan authorities immediately investigate the abduction, locate Mwaipaya, and guarantee his protection from illegal cross-border deportation.
“Kenya has provided sanctuary to defenders of democracy and human rights fleeing persecution in the region. Our country must never become a place where people escaping repression are tracked down, abducted and delivered back into the hands of those they fear,” the movement stated.