The disappearance of Tanzanian national and activist Twaha Mwaipaya, reportedly seeking refuge in Kenya, has escalated into a disturbing test of Kenya’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and commitment to the rule of law. What makes the matter even more troubling is that, following allegations surrounding his disappearance, Kenya’s Inspector-General of Police, Douglas Kanja, appeared in court and told the judge that Mwaipaya was not in police custody.
That statement raises questions far more serious than the whereabouts of one missing individual. If the country’s top police official maintains that his officers have no knowledge of Mwaipaya’s whereabouts, Kenyans deserve to know who is operating within their borders with such apparent impunity and why the country’s security machinery seems incapable of providing answers.
Is Kenya a sovereign republic with functioning security institutions, or has it become a convenient hunting ground for criminal networks, foreign operatives and individuals capable of abducting people and disappearing without consequence?
The Inspector-General cannot simply distance his institution from enforced disappearances and expect the public to accept that as an adequate explanation. If police officers were not involved, who was? How did the perpetrators gain access to the country, execute such operations and leave undetected? Where were the National Intelligence Service, immigration authorities and other security agencies entrusted with protecting Kenya’s territorial integrity?
These are not speculative questions that can be dismissed with defensive statements. They go to the very heart of national security.
The incident also raises broader questions about the direction of regional integration. The East African Community (EAC) was established to promote cooperation, peace, development and closer ties among East Africans. Yet allegations of cross-border abductions, unlawful detention and persecution of government critics threaten to undermine these objectives. Citizens should not have to fear crossing into a neighbouring country because of their political views or criticism of those in power.
Across the region, concerns about democratic freedoms persist. In Tanzania, opposition leader Tundu Lissu has faced prosecution and detention, while restrictions on political activities and concerns about electoral competition have attracted criticism. In Uganda, opposition leader Bobi Wine and his supporters have reported arrests, intimidation and violence. In Kenya, the use of force against demonstrators, deaths during political unrest and concerns about electoral transparency have prompted demands for accountability.
These concerns are compounded by reports of critics and activists being targeted across borders. The cases of Ugandan opposition figure Dr Kizza Besigye, Kenyan activists Nicholas Oyoo and Bob Njagi, and human rights defenders Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire have raised serious questions about detention, mistreatment, due process and the protection of individuals travelling within the region. Each case warrants careful investigation, but collectively, these allegations demand urgent regional attention.
In Kenya, in particular, abductions and enforced disappearances are increasingly becoming a disturbing feature of public life. From Gen Z protesters to journalists such as The Standard’s Alex Kiprotich and asylum seekers such as Mwaipaya, the list of people caught up in these disturbing incidents continues to grow. This should alarm every Kenyan. No one should have to live with the fear that speaking out, doing their job or seeking refuge could make them a target.
If Kenya’s security agencies genuinely have no involvement in these incidents, their apparent inability to prevent or investigate them represents an extraordinary institutional failure. If, however, elements within those institutions are implicated, the matter is even more alarming. Either possibility demands answers, not public relations statements.
Inspector-General Kanja must appreciate that leadership comes with responsibility. He cannot preside over a security apparatus repeatedly confronted with allegations of disappearances and then offer assurances that leave the public with more questions than answers. Kenyans are entitled to demand accountability. Where a security chief can no longer inspire confidence in the institution under his command, his continued leadership must be seriously questioned.
The implications extend beyond Kenya. Presidents William Ruto, Samia Suluhu Hassan and Yoweri Museveni must reject the dangerous normalisation of cross-border persecution. The EAC cannot credibly preach regional integration while people allegedly face abduction, intimidation and unlawful detention across member states.
Kenya must establish what happened to Mwaipaya, disclose all relevant information held by its security agencies and ensure an independent investigation. Those responsible, whether state officials or criminal actors, must be held accountable under the law.
Sovereignty is not measured by speeches, flags or presidential declarations. It is demonstrated by a state’s ability and willingness to protect people within its territory, defend its borders and hold those who violate the law accountable.
A country whose security institutions cannot explain who is abducting people on its soil has a national security crisis. A country whose institutions may be complicit in such violations has an even deeper constitutional crisis.
Where is Twaha Mwaipaya? Kenya deserves an answer.