A coalition of over 20 civil society organizations has strongly condemned the enforced disappearance and incommunicado detention of Kenyan activist Mwabili Mwagodi, calling out what they describe as complicity and inaction by law enforcement agencies in both Kenya and Tanzania.
In a statement released by the Police Reforms Working Group-Kenya (PRWG-K), the activist was reportedly abducted in Dar es Salaam on July 23 and later found abandoned in a forested area in Kinondo, Kwale County, at around 3 a.m. on July 27. Disoriented and fatigued, Mwagodi managed to walk several kilometers to Diani Police Station for assistance but was instead met with threats of arrest by local police.
Mwagodi, a vocal figure in the #OccupyChurch movement, is known for his outspoken criticism of government corruption and the politicization of religious institutions. According to PRWG-K, his ordeal underscores a growing trend of shrinking civic space and increasing repression across East Africa.
The coalition criticized the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for its inaction during the period Mwagodi was missing, despite urgent appeals from his family. The group argues that his treatment violates key legal protections, including Article 244 of the Kenyan Constitution, the National Police Service Act, and the Prevention of Torture Act, 2012.
PRWG-K outlined four urgent demands:
- An official apology from the National Police Service;
- An independent investigation into the conduct of police officers in Diani;
- A formal government stance on the protection of civic actors;
- A bilateral commitment by the Kenyan and Tanzanian governments to halt cross-border targeting of activists.
“This is not an isolated incident,” the statement warned. “Mwabili’s case highlights a troubling erosion of constitutional safeguards and the rise of transnational repression.”
Signatories of the statement include leading human rights organizations such as Amnesty International Kenya, HAKI Africa, the Kenya Human Rights Commission, Katiba Institute, Transparency International Kenya, FIDA-Kenya, and the International Justice Mission.
“The role of police is to protect, not punish,” the coalition emphasized. “Action must be taken now to prevent impunity from becoming the status quo.”
