KENYAN ACTIVIST MWABILI MWAGODI REPORTED MISSING IN TANZANIA

Kenyan social media activist and human rights defender, Mwabili Mwagodi, popularly known online as "TL Elder," has been reported missing in Tanzania under mysterious circumstances.
According to reports, Mwagodi was abducted on Wednesday night, July 23, 2025, while returning to Amani Beach Hotel in Kigamboni, Dar es Salaam. Witnesses say unidentified men driving a four-wheel-drive vehicle intercepted him before he was forcibly taken. His driver is said to have witnessed the abduction.
Efforts to file a missing person report at a local Tanzanian police station were reportedly delayed, with officers allegedly instructing the complainants to wait 24 hours before formal documentation could be made.
Mwagodi, who has been vocal on issues of governance and accountability in East Africa, had recently led a campaign opposing political fundraising activities in churches. His disappearance has triggered growing concerns among civil society groups about the safety of Kenyan activists operating or traveling within Tanzania.
Human rights organization VOCAL Africa, where Mwagodi was a member, has condemned the incident. The group’s executive director, Hussein Khalid, accused the Tanzanian government of targeting activists, citing previous arrests of other regional human rights defenders.
This incident follows the recent detentions and deportations of Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan journalist Agatha Atuhaire, both of whom were held without explanation earlier this year while in Tanzania. Upon their return, they reported being subjected to harsh treatment, including torture.
Tanzanian authorities are yet to issue an official statement on Mwagodi’s case.
Rights groups are now calling for swift intervention by both the Kenyan government and international agencies to ensure the safe return of the activist and to pressure Tanzanian authorities for accountability.