Inspector general of police Douglas Kanja appears in court after he was summoned to testify in the case where Tanzanian activist Twaha Mwaipaya went missing before Justice Alexander Muteti at Milimani High court, Nairobi on November 3, 2026/ LEAH MUKANGAI

Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has denied that police officers arrested or detained Tanzanian activist Twaha Mwaipaya, whose disappearance is the subject of a High Court case.

Appearing before Justice Alexander Muteti at the Milimani High Court in Nairobi on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, Kanja said he was aware of the matter but maintained that Mwaipaya was not in police custody anywhere in the country.

“My lord, I'd wish to inform this court... we don't have the subject in our custody throughout the Republic of Kenya,” Kanja told the court.

The police chief further said he was unaware of any incident in which Mwaipaya had been arrested by officers from the National Police Service.

However, he confirmed that a report concerning the activist had been filed at Ruai Police Station and said investigations into the matter were ongoing.

Kanja told the court that the investigating officer was present during the proceedings.

He maintained that police could not have removed Mwaipaya from custody because, according to him, the activist had never been arrested or held by officers.

“The subject was at no time arrested by my officers since he's never been in our custody; he can't have been removed by the same,” he submitted.

The IG also defended the police service against accusations that officers had failed to act on reports concerning the disappearance.

He said reports made at police stations or to individual officers are ordinarily investigated, adding that any abduction should be treated as a criminal offence.

Kanja also rejected allegations that police were involved in enforced disappearances.

“Not at all, we don't abduct and make people disappear,” he said.

“Any abduction is to be treated as an act of criminality,” he added.

The court appearance followed orders issued by Justice Muteti on October 30, 2026, directing police to produce Mwaipaya before the court, dead or alive, on November 2.

The judge also required the police to present the original detention warrant and explain why the activist should not be released immediately.

Mwaipaya was reportedly abducted on October 25, 2026, in Kamulu, Machakos County. His whereabouts remain the subject of the court proceedings.