Kenyan Activist Mwabili Mwagodi Reported Abducted in Tanzania

• Jul 25, 2025

Kenyan activist Mwabili Mwagodi has gone missing in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in what is being described as a suspected abduction.

The human rights organization Vocal Africa raised the alarm after Mwagodi’s family informed them of his disappearance. According to Hussein Khalid, the group’s CEO, Mwagodi vanished on the night of Wednesday, July 23.

“A Kenyan has been abducted in Tanzania. Again,” Khalid posted on social media, expressing concern about the recurring trend of activists being targeted in the region. He noted that Mwagodi was known for opposing church donations linked to politics and had been vocal in criticizing President William Ruto.

Mwagodi's sister, Isabella Kituri, said the activist had been working at the Amani Beach Hotel in Kigamboni, Dar es Salaam. She revealed that when the hotel management tried to file a missing person report, Tanzanian police told them to wait until 24 hours had passed.

“We are worried because he was at the front line of blocking Ruto’s church fundraising missions and has been quite vocal in mobilizing Gen Z on social media,” Kituri added.

Mwagodi had gained attention on social media for leading online campaigns opposing political fundraising in religious spaces, particularly when involving the Kenyan president. Before moving to Tanzania, he worked in the hospitality industry in Mombasa County.

His disappearance has sparked fears among activists, especially given the recent pattern of arrests involving outspoken East Africans in Tanzania. Just weeks earlier, Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan journalist Agatha Atuhaire were detained in Dar es Salaam while attending court proceedings for Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who faces treason charges.

Mwangi and Atuhaire were reportedly held incommunicado and tortured before being deported to their respective countries.

Mwagodi’s case has raised fresh concerns over the safety of political activists operating within the East African region, with calls now growing for urgent intervention from Kenyan and international human rights bodies. His whereabouts remain unknown as family, friends, and colleagues wait anxiously for updates.