Vocal Africa moves to court over abduction of Tanzanian activist Twaha Mwaipaya

Vocal Africa moves to court over abduction of Tanzanian activist Twaha Mwaipaya

Vocal Africa is seeking a habeas corpus order directing the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to produce Mwaipaya in court within 24 hours and present any warrant or order authorising his detention.

Vocal Africa has moved to the High Court in Nairobi seeking urgent orders compelling police and security agencies to produce Tanzanian activist Twaha Mwaipaya, who allegedly disappeared after being abducted by armed men in Kamulu, Nairobi.

In an application filed at the Milimani High Court on October 27, 2026, the human rights organisation is seeking a habeas corpus order directing the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to produce Mwaipaya in court within 24 hours and present any warrant or order authorising his detention.

The organisation says Mwaipaya was abducted on October 25 at Kanisani stage in Kamulu at around 1:00 pm, and his whereabouts and condition remain unknown.

Vocal Africa Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Hussein Khalid, in a supporting affidavit, said the activist's friend witnessed the incident and later recorded a statement detailing the circumstances surrounding the alleged abduction.

“If you see a black double cabin pick-up trailing you… RUN!” reads the account cited in the court papers, which describes the vehicle allegedly used by the abductors.

The application claims the men wore balaclavas or ski masks, used vehicles with fake or missing number plates and were armed with pistols and guns.

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Hussein said a missing-person report had been filed at Ruai Police Station under Occurrence Book number 47/25/10/2026, but efforts to trace Mwaipaya through various police stations in Nairobi had yielded no information.

“Neither his family members nor his advocates have been informed of the reasons for his arrest, the agency responsible for his detention, or the place where he is being held,” the affidavit states.

The organisation argues that Mwaipaya faces an imminent risk of torture, incommunicado detention or other human rights violations, alleging that his criticism of the Tanzanian government could expose him to the risk of being forcibly transferred to Tanzania.

It wants the court to summon IG Kanja and the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Amin Mohamed Ibrahim, to explain the activist's whereabouts.

The application also seeks orders compelling security agencies to preserve and produce CCTV footage, vehicle-tracking information, mobile network records and other relevant data from October 25 relating to the disappearance.

Vocal Africa further wants the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and other relevant bodies to conduct an independent investigation and submit reports to the court within 14 days.

The organisation has named the National Police Service, DCI, the Officer Commanding Ruai Police Station and the Attorney General among the respondents. Several human rights organisations, including the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), Amnesty International, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), have been listed as interested parties.

The court is being asked to order Mwaipaya's unconditional release if he is produced, pending the institution of any charges before a court of law.