MOMBASA, Kenya- International Justice Mission (IJM) Kenya has backed a survivor-led campaign calling for the criminalisation of enforced disappearances in Kenya and stronger protection for victims and their families.
The Haki Kwa Wote Campaign was launched during the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, observed annually on August 30. The campaign is seeking legal, policy and institutional reforms to address enforced disappearances and improve accountability.
According to IJM Kenya, the Missing Voices coalition documented 19 cases of enforced disappearances between January and August 2026. The organisation said the issue has also remained a concern following allegations of enforced disappearances and unlawful arrests during recent protests.
Kenya signed the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance in 2007 but has yet to ratify the convention or enact legislation specifically making enforced disappearance a criminal offence.
“Our Constitution which is now 16 years old gives every person the right to liberty, security, and equal protection under the law,” said Vincent Chahale, Country Director of IJM Kenya.
“When individuals disappear and families are left without answers, the impact extends far beyond the victim. It leaves families trapped in uncertainty and undermines public confidence in the justice system.”
Campaign seeks legal reforms
Chahale said survivors had played a critical role in bringing attention to the issue and called for their experiences to inform reforms.
IJM said the absence of a specific offence of enforced disappearance creates challenges for investigators, prosecutors and courts because existing criminal offences may not fully capture the nature and seriousness of the crime.
“Criminalizing enforced disappearance would provide investigators, prosecutors, and courts with a clear legal framework to address this crime and hold suspects accountable,” Chahale said.
The organisation also pointed to previous data from Missing Voices, which documented 55 cases of enforced disappearances in 2024, as evidence of the need for sustained reforms.
The campaign is additionally collecting signatures for a petition urging the government to fully implement the Victim Protection Act, 2014, strengthen and adequately fund the Victim Protection Board, and operationalise the Victim Protection Trust Fund.
Focus on victims and families
IJM said victims and families often face difficulties accessing information, legal assistance, psychosocial support, rehabilitation services, compensation and meaningful participation in justice processes.
The organisation welcomed President William Ruto’s assurance during the Katiba@16 celebrations that Kenyans should not be victimised for exercising their democratic rights, but said further action was required to strengthen accountability.
“We are happy the government has started compensating survivors of police crimes but we need to do more beyond compensation,” Chahale said.
He added that a victim-centred justice system should ensure survivors can access remedies, participate in proceedings and rebuild their lives with dignity.
The Haki Kwa Wote Campaign is calling for concrete government action to prevent enforced disappearances, strengthen victim protection and ensure victims and their families have access to justice and redress.
