Kenyan authorities have arrested three suspects in connection with the attempted kidnapping of Mshabaha Mshabaha Hamza, a well-known Tanzanian human rights defender, in what is being described as a “violent, premeditated abduction and forceful rendition to Tanzania.”
The incident, which occurred on Sunday, February 22, has drawn condemnation from human rights organisations, who are calling for a thorough investigation into the matter.
Mr Hamza, a vocal critic of the Tanzanian government and an advocate for democracy and justice, was reportedly drugged and injured by his attackers before being rescued.
He is a member of the Pan-African Solidarity Network, a collective committed to resisting authoritarianism across Africa. His work has particularly focused on the aftermath of the violent 2025 post-election period in Tanzania.
This is not the first time a Tanzanian activist has been targeted in Kenya. In January 2025, Maria Sarungi Tsehai, a prominent journalist and activist, was abducted in Nairobi and held for several hours before being released.
Ms Sarungi, who fled to Kenya in 2020 after facing threats in Tanzania, also believes her abduction was orchestrated by Tanzanian authorities.
These incidents highlight a worrying trend of transnational repression, where governments target dissidents beyond their borders.
Many Tanzanian human rights defenders have sought refuge in Kenya due to the increasingly repressive environment in their home country, particularly following the disputed 2025 elections, which were marred by violence and a brutal crackdown on opposition supporters.
With media blackouts and internet shutdowns in Tanzania, Kenyan activists and media have become a crucial source of information for the outside world.
Human rights groups have long warned about the shrinking civic space in East Africa. The abduction of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye in Nairobi in November 2024 and his subsequent rendition to Uganda is another stark example of this cross-border repression.
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These events have led to fears that Kenya is no longer a safe haven for those fleeing persecution.
In a joint statement, the Law Society of Kenya and Amnesty International Kenya commended the swift action of the Kenyan police in rescuing Mr Hamza.
They have called for a “full, transparent, and impartial investigation” into the incident and for accountability for all those involved, including those who may have planned, financed, or directed the attack from within Kenya, Tanzania, or elsewhere.
