Advertisement
Khalid holds Kenya and Tanzania’s govts responsible for Mwagodi’s disappearance
26th July, 2025 01:17 PM
Human rights defender Hussein Khalid has stated that both the Kenyan and Tanzanian governments are complicit in the abduction of activist Mwabili Mwagodi.
In a statement on Saturday, July 26, 2025, Khalid stated that Tanzanian authorities are holding Mwabili with the full knowledge and blessing of President William Ruto’s administration.
“We know that Mwabili Mwagodi is being held by Samia Suluhu’s government with the blessings of Kenya’s government,” he stated.
He warned that East Africa is increasingly sliding into authoritarianism, marked by state-sanctioned crackdowns on dissent, enforced disappearances, and the silencing of activists.
“East Africa is fast becoming a region of tyranny and oppression,” he stated.
Khalid made it clear that accountability for Mwabili’s disappearance lies with the two nations, insisting that both administrations must be held responsible.
“Let it be clear that we hold both Tanzania’s and Kenya’s governments responsible for Mwabili’s abduction,” he added.
Mwabili’s disappearance
The Vocal Africa Chief Executive Officer confirmed Mwabili’s abduction on Friday morning, July 25, 2025, saying his 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 for accepting donations from politicians.
His actions sparked sharp debate around the independence of religious institutions.
According to his wife, the activist departed for Dar es Salaam at around 10:00 pm on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, opting to use public transportation 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.
