NAIROBI, Kenya – The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs is facing renewed scrutiny after human rights organisations petitioned Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi to intervene in the disappearance of a Kenyan man allegedly abducted in Tanzania.
Amnesty International Kenya and VOCAL Africa on Friday, November 21, urged Mudavadi to take swift diplomatic action to help trace Salesio Mitugo Chabali, a 50-year-old Kenyan who vanished in late October under unclear circumstances.
According to the groups, Chabali is believed to have crossed into Tanzania through the Sirare border ahead of the country’s tense general election period.
He reportedly spent a night at a lodging in Bunda Corner, near Musoma in Tanzania’s Mara region.
In their petition, the organisations allege that on the morning of October 31, 2025, individuals believed to be police officers seized Chabali from the same lodging and transported him to Bunda Corner Police Station. His family has not heard from him since.
“Since then, his family has been unable to reach him or obtain any information regarding his whereabouts, well-being, and legal status,” the joint statement read.
A joint letter from VOCAL Africa and Amnesty International Kenya to the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, regarding the disappearance of Salesio Chabali, a 50-year-old Kenyan citizen.Mr. Chabali was reportedly arrested by police officers in Bunda Corner,
The groups warned that the circumstances point to the possibility of illegal detention, saying the family is gripped by fear over Chabali’s safety.
“The circumstances strongly suggest that Mr Chabali may currently be detained in full violation of his rights within Tanzanian territory,” they noted.
The petition, formally addressed to Prime Cabinet Secretary Mudavadi and copied to Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Abraham Korir Singoei, urges Kenya to urgently engage Tanzanian authorities to confirm Chabali’s location, safety and legal status.
The organisations are also calling for the missing man to be granted access to legal counsel and allowed to communicate with his family.
The incident deepens ongoing concerns raised by activists over the safety of Kenyans living or travelling in Tanzania, particularly during politically charged periods.
It comes just a day after Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan ordered thorough investigations into recent unrest and reported disappearances linked to election tensions.
President Suluhu maintained that all actions would follow the law, claiming intelligence reports suggest some protests were funded by both local and international NGOs.
As diplomatic pressure builds, Chabali’s family and rights groups are now awaiting assurances from Nairobi, insisting that protecting Kenyan citizens abroad must remain an urgent priority.
