MOMBASA, Kenya—Human rights defenders and civil society organisations have launched a nationwide campaign calling for the urgent enactment of a law specifically criminalising enforced disappearances in Kenya.
The Haki Kwa Wote Campaign is seeking action from Parliament and the government amid renewed concerns over reported abductions and unresolved cases involving people whose whereabouts remain unknown.
The campaigners want legislation enacted by the middle of next year, arguing that the absence of a specific law on enforced disappearances has continued to create gaps in accountability and justice for victims and their families.
Speaking during the campaign launch, International Justice Mission Country Director Vincent Chahale said Kenya needed a clear legal framework that would criminalise enforced disappearances and provide stronger mechanisms for holding perpetrators accountable.
He said reported cases of enforced disappearances had continued over the years, including during periods of political protests and elections.
The campaign is also pushing for the full implementation of the Victim Protection Act, with civil society groups arguing that families affected by disappearances require meaningful protection, access to justice and effective support while pursuing answers about their missing relatives.
Data presented by the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU) and the Missing Voices Coalition shows that cases of abductions have been documented across several years.
The data records 38 cases in 2019, 10 in 2020, 36 in 2021, 22 in 2022 and 10 in 2023. The number increased sharply to 50 cases in 2024 before falling to six in 2025. Nineteen cases had been documented in 2026 as of August.
Human rights advocates said the figures represent more than statistics, pointing to families who continue to live with uncertainty over the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones.
Human rights defender Khelef Khalifa called for greater accountability, saying security officers must operate within the law and that responsibility must be established whenever people disappear under suspicious circumstances.
The National Police Service, however, has distanced itself from individuals involved in enforced disappearances.
Through its spokesperson Michael Muchiri, the police said the issue should be addressed within ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening accountability and building a safer and more professional National Police Service.
The campaign comes against the backdrop of longstanding concerns by rights groups over alleged abductions and disappearances, particularly around periods of political tension and public protests.
Campaigners are now seeking to make the issue a priority in the next legislative agenda, with Parliament expected to come under pressure to establish a clear legal framework for preventing enforced disappearances, protecting victims and ensuring those responsible face justice.
For families still searching for missing relatives, the campaigners say, legislation would need to go beyond creating an offence by ensuring that investigations are conducted effectively and that victims and their families can obtain meaningful justice.
