NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 24 — Amnesty International Kenya and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) have called for a full and transparent investigation into the attempted abduction of Tanzanian human rights defender Mshabaha Mshabaha Hamza.
The two organisations praised the swift response by officers from Lukenya and Kyumbi Police Posts, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Kyumbi, and other security agencies on Sunday, February 22, which led to Hamza’s rescue and the arrest of three suspects.
Court documents indicate that Hamza resisted his attackers and was later found drugged and injured at Lukenya stage.
Police intercepted a vehicle linked to the incident and arrested Edward Mwangi Mwai, a Kenyan living in South Africa; Nelson Wanjohi Kirika, the driver; and Aziz Hamad, a Tanzanian national.
Amnesty Kenya and LSK said the attack appeared to have been an organised attempt to forcibly move Hamza to the Kenya–Tanzania border.
“Mshabaha Mshabaha Hamza is a well-known Tanzanian human rights defender,” the organisations said in a joint statement.
“He has been active in regional advocacy on democracy, accountability, and justice, particularly following the 2025 post-election violence in Tanzania.”
Tanzania repression
Hamza is also a member of the Pan-African Solidarity Network, a collective committed to resisting authoritarianism across Africa.
The organisations welcomed Kenya’s intervention as a safeguard of Hamza’s life and a demonstration of the country’s constitutional and international human rights obligations.
They stressed that the arrests must mark the beginning of full accountability, calling for investigations into the planners, financiers, and networks behind the attack, whether in Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, or elsewhere.
The groups also urged stronger collaboration between human rights organisations and Kenyan authorities to protect activists, particularly those in exile or working across borders.
“Kenya must ensure that its territory is never used for transnational repression, rendition, or attacks on those exercising their right to defend human rights,” the statement warned.
The joint statement was signed by Irungu Houghton, Amnesty International Kenya Section Director, and Faith Odhiambo, President of the Law Society of Kenya.
Both organisations pledged to continue monitoring the case and supporting efforts to secure justice for Hamza while safeguarding human rights defenders across the region.