Kenyan activist Mwabili Mwagodi missing, reportedly abducted in Tanzania
Mwabili Mwagodi, known for his vocal campaigns against political interference in religious spaces, is alleged to have been abducted by unknown individuals on Wednesday, July 21, while travelling to Dar es Salaam.
Another Kenyan activist has reportedly gone missing in Tanzania, adding to growing fears over the safety of civic campaigners in the region.
Mwabili Mwagodi, known for his vocal campaigns against political interference in religious spaces, is alleged to have been abducted by unknown individuals on Wednesday, July 21, while travelling to Dar es Salaam.
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Vocal Africa Chief Executive Officer Hussein Khalid confirmed the incident on Friday morning, saying Mwagodi’s family informed him of the activist’s disappearance.
“A Kenyan has been abducted in Tanzania. Again. Family has confirmed that Mwabili Mwagodi, who is a Kenyan activist and was vocal against church donations, was abducted in Tanzania on Wednesday,” Khalid stated.
Mwagodi, who had been staying in Tanzania in recent months, gained public attention for his Occupy the Church campaign, which called out religious leaders accepting donations from politicians.
His actions sparked sharp debate around the independence of religious institutions.
According to his wife, the activist left for Dar es Salaam at around 10 pm on Wednesday, opting to use public transport instead of his vehicle.
He never arrived. She said his phone went off during the journey and has remained unreachable since, heightening fears that he may have been forcibly taken.
Mwagodi previously worked in the hospitality sector in Mombasa before relocating to Tanzania. It was in Mombasa that he began his activism against the presence of politicians in churches and mosques.
He has also been an outspoken critic of President William Ruto’s administration.
In 2024, he travelled from Mombasa to Nyahururu to mobilise youth against the now-defunct Finance Bill 2024, joining other activists who participated in the Gen Z protests.
His disappearance comes just weeks after six other Kenyan activists, including Boniface Mwangi, were detained in Tanzania, raising growing concerns about cross-border suppression of civic voices.
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