John Wanjiru, a Kenyan national forcibly disappeared in the UAE
Name(s):
John Wanjiru
Status:
Disappeared
Year of birth:
1995
Date of arrest:
John Wanjiru, a Kenyan sales officer working in the UAE, was arrested on June 25, 2024, during a large overnight security operation at al-Dewan Towers in Ajman, where he was working. While several detained colleagues were later deported to Kenya, Wanjiru has not been seen or heard from since. Despite his family’s repeated appeals to the Emirati and Kenyan authorities, no information on his whereabouts has been provided. On June 9, 2026, MENA Rights Group submitted Wanjiru’s case to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.
John Maina Wanjiru is a Kenyan national who moved to Dubai in May 2023, where he worked as a sales officer and telesales assistant at al-Dewan Towers in Ajman, United Arab Emirates.
On June 25, 2024, Wanjiru was arrested during a large overnight security operation at al-Dewan Towers, in which hundreds of security officers, both uniformed and in civilian clothing, detained all individuals present in the building. According to an eyewitness, those arrested were transferred to detention facilities in Abu Dhabi, and several of Wanjiru’s colleagues were subsequently deported to Kenya. Wanjiru, however, has remained missing ever since.
Wanjiru had previously maintained regular contact with his family in Kenya, but they have not heard from him since his arrest. Despite repeated attempts by his family to obtain information on his whereabouts from both Emirati and Kenyan authorities, no meaningful response has been provided.
Following Wanjiru’s arrest, his family contacted the Kenyan Embassy in the UAE but received no response.
On August 31, 2024, Wanjiru’s partner informed the press office of the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UAE Embassy in Nairobi of his disappearance and requested urgent assistance. No response was received.
On September 3, 2024, Wanjiru’s partner emailed the consular section of Kenya’s State Department for Diaspora Affairs to report the disappearance and request urgent assistance, again without response. After a follow-up email on September 13, 2024, the consular section replied the same day, stating that it would review the matter and respond in due course.
On September 16, 2024, Wanjiru’s partner filed an official complaint with the Dubai Police General Department of Criminal Investigations. The following day, the Dubai Police responded that such complaints had to be lodged through diplomatic channels. Wanjiru’s partner accordingly contacted the Kenyan Embassy in the UAE and the State Department for Diaspora Affairs again that same day, requesting assistance, but received no response.
On December 28, 2024, Wanjiru’s partner sent a further follow-up email to the Kenyan Embassy in the UAE and the State Department for Diaspora Affairs, noting that no substantive steps had been taken to locate Wanjiru.
On February 14, 2025, the consular section of the Kenyan Embassy in Abu Dhabi informed Wanjiru’s family that it had raised the matter with the UAE police, who stated that, following an investigation, Wanjiru was neither in prison nor in police custody but remained in the country.
On April 30, 2025, Wanjiru’s disappearance was raised in the Kenyan Parliament by Hon. Agnes Pareiyo. The Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs subsequently asked the family to submit a formal letter detailing the case. The family did so, but no meaningful response followed.
On June 26, 2025, Wanjiru’s partner once again wrote to the Kenyan Embassy in the UAE and the State Department for Diaspora Affairs, noting that, a year after his disappearance, no progress had been made in establishing his whereabouts. No response was received.
Between November 16 and December 10, 2025, Wanjiru’s mother travelled to Dubai to search for her son, meeting with officials and witnesses, including a security guard who had been present during the operation. Her efforts did not yield any information on Wanjiru’s whereabouts. She also met with the Kenyan Ambassador, Kenneth Ng’ang’a, who promised access to the Abu Dhabi detention facilities after the December holidays. However, no further update has since been received. After being informed that human remains had been found in the Dubai desert, Wanjiru’s mother also submitted a DNA sample for testing, but the results were negative.
On June 9, 2026, MENA Rights Group submitted Wanjiru’s case to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID).
To date, Wanjiru remains disappeared. Despite repeated efforts by his family, the UAE authorities have provided no information on his whereabouts and have shown no indication of having conducted a meaningful investigation.
| Name(s): |
John Wanjiru
|
| Status: |
Disappeared
|
| Year of birth: |
1995
|
| Date of arrest: |
|
John Maina Wanjiru is a Kenyan national who moved to Dubai in May 2023, where he worked as a sales officer and telesales assistant at al-Dewan Towers in Ajman, United Arab Emirates.
On June 25, 2024, Wanjiru was arrested during a large overnight security operation at al-Dewan Towers, in which hundreds of security officers, both uniformed and in civilian clothing, detained all individuals present in the building. According to an eyewitness, those arrested were transferred to detention facilities in Abu Dhabi, and several of Wanjiru’s colleagues were subsequently deported to Kenya. Wanjiru, however, has remained missing ever since.
Wanjiru had previously maintained regular contact with his family in Kenya, but they have not heard from him since his arrest. Despite repeated attempts by his family to obtain information on his whereabouts from both Emirati and Kenyan authorities, no meaningful response has been provided.
Following Wanjiru’s arrest, his family contacted the Kenyan Embassy in the UAE but received no response.
On August 31, 2024, Wanjiru’s partner informed the press office of the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UAE Embassy in Nairobi of his disappearance and requested urgent assistance. No response was received.
On September 3, 2024, Wanjiru’s partner emailed the consular section of Kenya’s State Department for Diaspora Affairs to report the disappearance and request urgent assistance, again without response. After a follow-up email on September 13, 2024, the consular section replied the same day, stating that it would review the matter and respond in due course.
On September 16, 2024, Wanjiru’s partner filed an official complaint with the Dubai Police General Department of Criminal Investigations. The following day, the Dubai Police responded that such complaints had to be lodged through diplomatic channels. Wanjiru’s partner accordingly contacted the Kenyan Embassy in the UAE and the State Department for Diaspora Affairs again that same day, requesting assistance, but received no response.
On December 28, 2024, Wanjiru’s partner sent a further follow-up email to the Kenyan Embassy in the UAE and the State Department for Diaspora Affairs, noting that no substantive steps had been taken to locate Wanjiru.
On February 14, 2025, the consular section of the Kenyan Embassy in Abu Dhabi informed Wanjiru’s family that it had raised the matter with the UAE police, who stated that, following an investigation, Wanjiru was neither in prison nor in police custody but remained in the country.
On April 30, 2025, Wanjiru’s disappearance was raised in the Kenyan Parliament by Hon. Agnes Pareiyo. The Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs subsequently asked the family to submit a formal letter detailing the case. The family did so, but no meaningful response followed.
On June 26, 2025, Wanjiru’s partner once again wrote to the Kenyan Embassy in the UAE and the State Department for Diaspora Affairs, noting that, a year after his disappearance, no progress had been made in establishing his whereabouts. No response was received.
Between November 16 and December 10, 2025, Wanjiru’s mother travelled to Dubai to search for her son, meeting with officials and witnesses, including a security guard who had been present during the operation. Her efforts did not yield any information on Wanjiru’s whereabouts. She also met with the Kenyan Ambassador, Kenneth Ng’ang’a, who promised access to the Abu Dhabi detention facilities after the December holidays. However, no further update has since been received. After being informed that human remains had been found in the Dubai desert, Wanjiru’s mother also submitted a DNA sample for testing, but the results were negative.
On June 9, 2026, MENA Rights Group submitted Wanjiru’s case to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID).
To date, Wanjiru remains disappeared. Despite repeated efforts by his family, the UAE authorities have provided no information on his whereabouts and have shown no indication of having conducted a meaningful investigation.
