Family reveals final moments before activist Mwabili Mwagodi vanished in Tanzania

Two months after the East African Community was gripped by news of the arrest, detention and alleged sexual assault of Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and his Ugandan counterpart Agather Atuhaire while in Tanzania, another Kenyan activist, Mwabili Mwagodi, is yet to be traced three days after he was abducted by unknown people in Dar es Salaam. 

Mwabili, a vocal critic of the Kenya Kwanza government and a hotelier in Kigamboni, Dar es Salaam, was reportedly picked by security officers on Wednesday night while on his way to the hotel.

The family claimed he has been under surveillance over his involvement in Gen Z protests in June 2024.

Mwabili was reportedly picked by people believed to be security officers while on his way to work on Wednesday evening, as confirmed by a boda boda operator who last interacted with him.

"Alisema walikutana na gari lililowazuia na wakampatia hela zake na wakamwambia nenda na usiangalie nyuma, na hapo ndio mwisho Mwabili alionekana. Wasiwasi wetu ni nani hawa walimchukua kati ya Cheka na Kigamboni na mbona hadi sasa hajaonekana," Isabella Kituri, Mwabili's sister, said,

"Watu wasiojulikana lakini wanaaminika kwamba ni maaskari wamekuwa wakimtembelea Tanzania, mahali anafanya kazi, kujifanya kwamba wamekuja kulala na wanamtaka yeye," Ojiro Odhiambo, a human rights activist, noted, 

The family expressed fear that Mwabili was a marked man as threats allegedly started way back in October last year following his participation in the Gen Z protests.

A case in point was when he led protests at a church service attended by President William Ruto in Nyahururu, Laikipia County on June 23, 2024.

"2024 in October, my parents received visitors who identified themselves as DCI and they warned them that he should cool off matters Gen Z protests and take care of his family, failure to which – to quote my parents – 'Mama msije mtaweka hema hapa'," Kituri recalled, 

The family said the employer in Tanzania has since reported the matter under OB number CHA/RB/27262025. Back at home, the family has reported the matter at Kileleshwa Police Station and urged Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi to intervene.

"Those who are holding him out there know that we know and that they will be held accountable. Justice has to be served. Mwabili served a just course to defend the integrity of the church. He is just doing his civic duty," Kituri added. 

 "Tunataka serikali ya Kenya ifunge ubalozi wa Tanzania hapa Kenya kwa sababu nchi ya Tanzania inakiuka mkataba wa Afrika Mashariki," Hussein Khalid, Executive Director, Vocal Africa said,

The alleged abduction comes two months after a similar incident where activists Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire were picked in a similar manner only to be dumped at the Kenya and Uganda border, respectively. 

The two, who were allegedly sexually assaulted, have filed a case before the East African Court of Justice accusing the government of Tanzania of grave human rights violations. 

In the suit, they are demanding public apologies from the three nations plus compensation of at least one million dollars each.