A Kenyan lawyer and entrepreneur, Fredrick Lorent Obuya, has gone missing in Tanzania after allegedly being arrested by police on October 31, 2025. His disappearance comes amid escalating post-election violence that has left hundreds dead and scores missing.
Human rights groups now fear Obuya may have been caught in the violent crackdown by Tanzanian authorities following the disputed October 29 election. His family and friends are desperately searching for answers as diplomatic pressure mounts on both Nairobi and Dodoma.
Lawyer Fredrick Obuya Vanishes After Arrest in Dar es Salaam
Lawyer Fredrick Obuya, 29, was reportedly arrested in Dar es Salaam while on a business trip to Zanzibar. According to human rights activist and VOCAL Africa CEO Hussein Khalid, Obuya was last seen at the Oyster Bay Police Station before all contact with him was lost.
“VOCAL Africa has received the case of a Kenyan, Fredrick Lorent Obuya, who was arrested in Dar es Salaam on October 31,” Khalid stated. “Fredrick is a lawyer and runs a tour company. His friends say he was on his way to Zanzibar on official work when police detained him.”
The Tanzanian police have not issued any public statement on the arrest, leaving family members in anguish and rights activists demanding immediate action from both governments.
Obuya’s relatives say his phone went off shortly after he informed a colleague he had been stopped by plain-clothes officers. Since then, efforts to trace his whereabouts through police stations and embassies have hit a dead end.
Kenya Demands Answers on Missing Lawyer
Obuya’s case has drawn concern from Kenyan authorities and civil society. Calls are growing for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to intervene and demand his release or at least confirmation of his location.
“Every hour that passes without communication increases the fear that something terrible has happened to him,” said one family member. “He went to Tanzania legally, on business, and had all his travel documents in order.”
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has also written to Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi, urging him to engage the Tanzanian government on the matter. “We must ensure every Kenyan abroad is protected, regardless of political tensions in host countries,” Owino stated.
The Kenyan High Commission in Dar es Salaam is yet to issue an official response, though insiders say efforts are ongoing to establish whether Obuya is being held secretly or has been transferred elsewhere.
Rising Fear Over Treatment of Foreign Nationals
The disappearance of Lawyer Fredrick Obuya comes against the backdrop of widespread violence in Tanzania following its disputed election. Tear gas and live bullets have been used to disperse protesters, and local journalists say they face threats for reporting on the crisis.
President Samia Suluhu has downplayed reports of local unrest, claiming the violence is the work of foreigners infiltrating Tanzania. Her administration has repeatedly blamed “external actors” for fueling protests, raising concern that Kenyans and other foreigners may be targeted unfairly.
So far, one Kenyan, John Okoth Ogutu—a teacher working in Dar es Salaam—has been confirmed dead after being attacked during the election chaos on October 29. His family has pleaded with the Kenyan government to help repatriate his remains. The similarity between Ogutu’s case and Obuya’s disappearance has deepened fears among Kenyans living in Tanzania.
Human rights groups believe more cases involving missing or injured foreign nationals may emerge once communication channels are restored and curfews lifted in parts of Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar.
Regional Leaders Under Pressure to Act
Diplomatic pressure is mounting on both Kenya and Tanzania to address the rising number of disappearances. Analysts warn that continued silence from Dodoma could damage relations between the two East African nations.
“Obuya’s case could test regional cooperation in human rights and the rule of law,” said a Nairobi-based policy analyst. “If Tanzanian authorities remain silent, Kenya may have to escalate the issue to the East African Community for intervention.”
VOCAL Africa has already called on the African Union and international human rights bodies to monitor the situation closely. “We demand the immediate release of Lawyer Fredrick Obuya or confirmation of his whereabouts,” Khalid reiterated in a statement on November 4.
Back home, Obuya’s friends describe him as an ambitious young lawyer with a passion for travel and social justice. “He believed in bridging Kenya and Tanzania through tourism and youth empowerment,” said a close friend. “Now we just want him home safe.”
As Tanzanian authorities continue to clamp down on dissent, the fate of missing individuals like Fredrick Obuya hangs in the balance. With no official communication, rising cross-border tension, and growing public anger, his disappearance may soon become a defining moment in Kenya-Tanzania relations.
