Nairobi. Kenya’s Inspector-General of Police, Douglas Kanja, has been ordered to appear in court on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, to explain the whereabouts of missing Tanzanian activist Twaha Mwaipaya.
High Court judge Alexander Muteti issued the directive on Monday, November 3, 2026, after lawyer Martha Karua asked the court to require Mr Kanja and Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mohamed Amin to appear in person and account for Mr Mwaipaya’s disappearance.
Ms Karua, representing Vocal Africa, which filed the case, argued that police had failed to act promptly despite being informed of Mr Mwaipaya’s disappearance on October 25.
She said authorities should not wait for court orders before investigating reports of missing persons, adding that the case had attracted widespread public attention.
Mr Mwaipaya, a former Chadema leader, was allegedly abducted on October 25 while travelling in a taxi in Kamulu, Machakos County, near Nairobi.
He was reportedly intercepted by unidentified people travelling in three vehicles, including a Toyota Land Cruiser Hardtop, and taken away.
His whereabouts and condition remain unknown despite efforts by activists, Amnesty International Kenya and Chadema to trace him.
On October 30, the court ordered Mr Kanja and Mr Amin to produce Mr Mwaipaya before it on Monday, alive or dead, and explain the circumstances surrounding his alleged arrest and detention.
During Monday’s proceedings, Ms Karua said police had known about the disappearance since October 25 and should have launched investigations immediately.
She also argued that sending junior officers to court would not be sufficient, saying Kenyans, Ugandans and Tanzanians wanted answers from the two senior police officials.
Ms Karua further said police had failed to comply with the earlier order requiring Mr Mwaipaya’s production in court.
State Counsel Christopher Marwa opposed the request, saying the relevant court order had been complied with and investigations were ongoing.
He asked the court to give authorities time to complete their investigations, arguing that the applicants had abandoned the substantive order requiring Mr Mwaipaya to be produced before the court.
In his ruling, Justice Muteti directed Mr Kanja to appear in person on Tuesday, saying that, as head of Kenya’s police service, he was best placed to explain whether police officers or other government agents were involved in Mr Mwaipaya’s disappearance.
The judge also expressed concern that the government had failed to file an affidavit addressing the matter, despite its seriousness and the fact that it involved the liberty of a foreign national.
He said Attorney-General Dorcas Oduor, as the government’s principal legal adviser under Article 156 of the Constitution, should ensure full cooperation with the court in matters involving the liberty of foreign nationals.