A High Court judge has issued a stern warning to the country's top police chiefs over persistent delays in the case of missing security analyst Mwenda Mbijiwe, whose whereabouts have been unknown for over four years. “Let's not play games, kindly!” Justice Martin Muya declared in a tense courtroom session, stressing the gravity of the matter.

The warning came after both the Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, and the Director of Criminal Investigations, Mohamed Amin, failed to personally appear in court on Tuesday as summoned. Their absence has intensified the anguish of Mbijiwe's family and raises critical questions about the state's commitment to resolving one of Kenya's most high-profile disappearance cases.

A Family's Four-Year Search for Answers

Mwenda Mbijiwe, a former Air Force officer and a vocal commentator on security matters, was last seen on June 12, 2021. He was reportedly travelling from Nairobi to his rural home in Meru County. The vehicle he had hired was later found abandoned near Tatu City in Kiambu County.

His family, led by his mother Jane Gatwiri, has been on a relentless quest for the truth, a journey that has taken a significant emotional and financial toll. Gatwiri has previously stated her belief that her son is being held incommunicado by the state, alleging he was abducted by men believed to be security officers. Prior to his disappearance, Mbijiwe had reported receiving death threats at Nairobi's Central Police Station.

Frustration in the Corridors of Justice

The court's patience appears to be wearing thin after a series of unheeded directives. Instead of appearing personally, IG Kanja and DCI Amin sent legal counsel and an investigating officer, a move that Mbijiwe’s family lawyers argued undermined accountability. The family's legal team had requested warrants of arrest for the two police bosses for defying the summons.

The police's lawyer, Paul Nyamodi, defended their absence, claiming his clients had not been properly served with the court orders. He also attempted to shift focus by suggesting Mbijiwe's mother had not filed a missing person's report, an assertion the investigating officer later clarified under questioning from the judge. The officer confirmed that reports were filed by Mbijiwe's wife and stepmother.

Justice Muya dismissed these procedural arguments, emphasizing the need for candour to resolve the central question of Mbijiwe's fate. The case has been marked by a series of delays and a perceived lack of meaningful updates from investigators, frustrating the family and human rights observers.

• June 12, 2021: Mwenda Mbijiwe disappears while reportedly travelling from Nairobi to Meru.
• June 13, 2021: The hired car he was using is found abandoned in Kiambu County.
• October 2025: High Court orders the IG and DPP to produce Mbijiwe, dead or alive, within seven days. The order is not complied with.
• December 16, 2025: IG Kanja and DCI Amin fail to appear in court as summoned, prompting a sharp rebuke from the judge.

The court has now directed all parties to file the necessary documents before the next hearing, scheduled for January 23, 2026, as the search for truth continues. For a family caught in an agonizing limbo, the date represents another flicker of hope that the state will finally be compelled to provide the answers they have sought for years.