The agonizing search for security analyst Mwenda Mbijiwe has taken a grim turn, with state prosecutors signaling they may now consider him deceased after more than four years without a trace.

This major development unfolded at the Milimani Law Courts, where the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) proposed opening a formal inquest into the matter. The suggestion implies that investigative avenues to find Mbijiwe alive have been exhausted, prompting an emotional breakdown from the family's lawyer, Evans Ondiek, who accused the state of seeking to close the case without accountability.

“They want to start an inquest. They cannot start an inquest unless they are aware he is not alive,” Ondiek stated outside the courthouse. “We want them to bring that police file and tell us who the complainant was, what they were investigating, and why it has taken them four years.”

A Family's Unending Nightmare

Mwenda Mbijiwe, a former military officer and prominent security commentator, vanished on June 12, 2021. He was reportedly abducted near Roysambu in Nairobi while traveling to his family home in Meru County. His mother, Jane Gatwiri, has consistently maintained that her son was taken by security officers in plainclothes and has spent years navigating government offices in a fruitless search for answers.

Gatwiri has publicly accused several high-profile individuals of fabricating allegations against her son shortly before he disappeared. Despite the latest developments, she holds onto the belief that her son is alive. “If at all they killed my son, God in heaven is watching them. They will pay,” she declared.

An Investigation Under Scrutiny

The case has been marked by years of judicial frustration and apparent inaction from security agencies. The High Court has repeatedly demanded answers, previously summoning the Inspector General of Police and the DCI boss to physically appear and explain Mbijiwe's whereabouts. Justice Martin Muya noted that the time for vague explanations was over, yet the family insists no meaningful updates have ever been provided.

Key moments in the long search for answers include:

• June 12, 2021: Mwenda Mbijiwe disappears after being allegedly intercepted in Roysambu, Nairobi.
• Post-Disappearance: The hired vehicle Mbijiwe was driving is found abandoned near Tatu City in Kiambu.
• September 2025: Mbijiwe's mother, Jane Gatwiri, sues the government, seeking a court order to compel the police to produce her son.
• December 3, 2025: The DPP suggests opening an inquest, prompting outrage from the family's lawyer.
• December 16, 2025: The Inspector General of Police and DCI Director are scheduled to appear in court to provide an explanation.

Mbijiwe's case highlights the persistent and deeply troubling issue of enforced disappearances in Kenya. Human rights organizations have documented dozens of similar cases in recent years, creating a climate of fear and eroding public trust in security services.

With the state now pushing for an inquest, the family's long quest for answers is shifting into a fight for justice, demanding to know not only where Mbijiwe is, but who is responsible for his vanishing.