NAIROBI, Kenya July 28 – Amnesty International has called for independent and impartial investigations by the East African Court of Justice on Kenya and Tanzania government following the harrowing enforced disappearance and eventual reappearance of Kenyan human rights activist Mwabili Mwagodi in Tanzania.
Mwagodi whose whereabouts had been unknown for three days, was found alive under unclear circumstances, after what human rights groups described as an unlawful cross-border detention, involving silence and apparent inaction from both the Kenyan and Tanzanian governments.
“The prolonged silence from both governments during Mwagodi’s disappearance, transport across borders, and eventual abandonment is deeply troubling,”Amnesty stated.
“Accountability must go beyond borders this case belongs before the East African Court of Justice.”
Amnesty commended the unrelenting pressure exerted by Mwagodi’s family, civil society groups as well as the public, crediting them with helping secure the activist’s safe return.
Mwagodi, who disappeared days ago under mysterious circumstances in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, was found alive and is currently receiving medical attention in Mombasa.
According to Hussein Khalid, CEO of rights group VOCAL Africa, Mwagodi was released early Sunday morning and left in a bush in Kinondo, Kwale County, around 3 a.m.
He walked over 3 kilometers to Diani, where he contacted his family. VOCAL Africa and Muslim for Human Rights (MUHURI) officers quickly intervened.
“While in Diani, Mwabili voluntarily presented himself at the police station, hoping for help,” Khalid said.
“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 before being flown to Nairobi to reunite with his family.
His disappearance on Tanzanian soil days earlier, amid growing criticism over President William Ruto’s controversial church fundraisers triggered fierce backlash.
Both Kenya and Tanzania had remained silent, raising concerns about a coordinated effort to silence dissent across borders.
“This is not an isolated incident,” Khalid said. “There’s a clear pattern of governments in East Africa quietly teaming up to target critics.”
Mwagodi, a vocal supporter of the #OccupyChurch movement, vanished on July 23, 2025 after calling out senior Kenyan security officials and President William Ruto in a now-viral X post.
His abrupt disappearance closely followed the Directorate of Criminal Investigation’s (DCI) announcement of a new crime-reporting WhatsApp number, deepening public suspicion.
The incident reignited painful memories of previous cross-border crackdowns.
