By Kennedy Nalyanya
MOMBASA, Kenya - Prominent Kenyan human rights activist Mwabili Mwagodi, who vanished days ago under mysterious circumstances in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, has been located alive and is currently receiving medical attention in Mombasa. His discovery has reignited concerns among human rights groups regarding a perceived pattern of cross-border targeting of dissenters in East Africa.
According to Hussein Khalid, CEO of rights group VOCAL Africa, Mwagodi was released in the early hours of Sunday morning, around 3 a.m., and left in a remote bush in Kinondo, Kwale County. Despite his ordeal, Mwagodi managed to walk over three kilometers to Diani, where he was able to contact his family.
Upon learning of his location, officers from VOCAL Africa and Muslim for Human Rights (MUHURI) swiftly intervened. "While in Diani, Mwabili voluntarily presented himself at the police station, hoping for help," Khalid stated. "But instead, the police attempted to detain him. Our officers had to step in to ensure his release."
Mwagodi has since been rushed to Pandya Hospital for a medical check-up. Plans are underway to fly him to Nairobi to reunite with his family following his assessment.
Disappearance Amidst Political Tensions
Mwagodi's disappearance on Tanzanian soil days earlier had triggered fierce backlash, particularly as it occurred amid growing criticism over President William Ruto’s controversial church fundraisers. Both the Kenyan and Tanzanian governments had maintained a notable silence on the matter, fueling public suspicion of a coordinated effort to silence dissent across borders.
"This is not an isolated incident," Khalid asserted, referencing previous occurrences. "There’s a clear pattern of governments in East Africa quietly teaming up to target critics."
Mwagodi, a vocal supporter of the #OccupyChurch movement, had reportedly vanished on July 23, 2025, shortly after publishing a now-viral X post criticizing senior Kenyan security officials and President William Ruto. His abrupt disappearance also closely followed the Directorate of Criminal Investigation’s (DCI) announcement of a new crime-reporting WhatsApp number, deepening public suspicion surrounding the circumstances.
Echoes of Previous Crackdowns
The incident has painfully reignited memories of earlier cross-border crackdowns involving Kenyan activists. In May 2025, Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan lawyer Agather Atuhaire were arrested and deported from Tanzania under similarly murky circumstances. Prior to this, several other prominent Kenyan activists, including People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua and former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, had also faced bars or deportation from Tanzanian territory.
Human rights groups across the region are now demanding independent investigations from both Nairobi and Dodoma. They accuse the two governments of either enabling or turning a blind eye to the harassment of dissenters.
As the hashtag #FreeMwabiliMwagodi continues to trend across social media platforms, civil society organizations have issued a stark warning: without accountability for such incidents, they fear that politically motivated abductions could become a normalized tactic to suppress critical voices in the region.
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