Social media activist Mwabili Mwagodi, who is a staunch critic of President William Ruto’s regime, has been reported missing in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, under unclear circumstances.
He is suspected to have been abducted.
His disappearance has raised concerns as he was at the frontline in voicing opposition to church fundraising campaigns.
CEO of Vocal Africa which is a human rights organisation Hussein Khalid shared the news in a post on X, confirming that Mwagodi’s sister, BBC Swahili news anchor Isabella Kituri had reached out to him over the matter.
Kituri shared that her brother, who works for Amani Beach Hotel in Kigamboni, has been missing since Wednesday.
“We are worried because he was in the frontline of blocking Ruto’s church fundraising missions in church and has been quite vocal mobilising Gen Z on social media platforms,” read part of the text message Kituri sent to Khalid.
“It seems Samia Suluhu’s government is working round the clock to target Kenyan activists,” added Khalid.
Mwagodi has been a vocal critic of some of the policies instituted by the Ruto regime.
In his latest social media post on Wednesday, Mwagodi spammed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI’s) platform which had unveiled a new hotline to report crime.
The activist posted on his X account screenshots featuring images of President Ruto, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat, DCI Director Mohamed Amin, whom he labelled as ‘criminals’.
Further, he has previously engaged in several online campaigns to oppose the government’s fundraising in churches, primarily those involving the head of state.
In June 2024, he led a campaign titled #CleanTheAltar, where he appealed to the church and bishops to refrain from inviting politicians. He also used his online presence to warn church leaders who entertained politicians on their altars.
One of the warnings was issued to Reverend Simon Mutahi for inviting First Lady Racheal Ruto on his altar, telling him, “I see you have invited Mrs. Rachel Ruto to your church for a fundraiser. First of all, the money is looted from the taxes I pay to this government of looters.”
“The message is to notify you that we are coming for the fundraiser. God bless you”.
Not too long after, Rev. Mutahi replied, “Good Evening Mwabili. Thank you for reaching out. Please note that the First Lady will not be attending the fundraiser. You are welcome to worship with us. Blessed night.”
Kenyans on X have since began a trending hashtag #FreeMwabiliMwagodi following the news of his disappearance.
This is not the first disappearance case to be reported as on June 24 ,2025, activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan journalist Agather Atuhaire were in May abducted in Tanzania.
The two went missing for days before they both dumped near the border of Kenya and Uganda after days of uproar over their missing.
Mwangi was dumped in Ukunda, Kwale, at the border of Kenya and Tanzania. He was found unconscious, rushed to the hospital after he was discharged.
Atuhaire on the other hand was dumped at the border of Tanzania and Uganda where she was found exhibiting signs of torture.
Atuhaire and Mwangi had travelled to Tanzania to support opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who was to appear in court.
The two have since filed a case before the East African Court of Justice over claims of abduction, torture, and unlawful deportation by the Tanzanian government.
The suit, lodged on July 18 in Arusha, Tanzania, seeks to hold not only Tanzania but also the governments of Kenya and Uganda, alongside the East African Community (EAC) secretary general, Veronica Nduva, accountable for what the applicants term gross violations of human rights.
The pair allege they were subjected to brutal torture, including sexual violence, before being dumped at their respective country borders without explanation.
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