Maverick Aoko Found After Going Missing For More Than A Week- Aide

Vocal online commentator and activist Maverick Aoko, who went missing for more than a week, has been found.

According to her aide, who posted on her X account, Aoko was found at the Kenya-Tanzania border, with a hospital reaching out to her family.

"Update: She's Been Found at the Kenya-Tanzania border. Her family was called from a hospital. She was taken there by an unidentified person who said they found her outside their Gate," the aide wrote.

The aide however added "Don't know much at the moment, but the Father is on his way there. Will keep you updated. Thank you for standing with her."

Aoko has been missing close to 10 days since her last tweet on October 22. Her disappearance went unnoticed in the public eye for five days, with only netizens raising concern about her whereabouts given that she was not seen online during that period.

However, this got the attention of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) which on Sunday, October 27, called for her immediate release.

Speaking to the media after tracing arrested Boniface Mwangi to the Kamukunji Police Station, LSK President Faith Odhiambo called for her immediate release and urged Kenyans to use the LSK hotline to provide any information regarding her disappearance.

“We have heard that she is missing and we are asking for any information. Our hotline is still working. Please reach out to the LSK. Every life counts. We ask that whoever is holding her that she should be released immediately. Let’s not be a country that we live in intimidation or fear,” Odhiambo told the press.

"Kenya is our country, Kenya is our home. Let us fight to ensure that we uphold the rule of law. That every single person feels like they have a right to enjoy their rights fully in this country. People might say things that are not pleasant for you, however, there are rules to govern the same. Let us deal with people within the confines of the law."

Aoko's aide had on October 28 posted a statement on Aoko's account detailing her movements before vanishing. The controversial figure, known for her explosive posts on X, was in August 2024 charged at the Milimani Court for allegedly disseminating false information through her social media account. She was granted bail of Ksh100,000.

The aide revealed that following the above events, Aoko disappeared into the countryside to stay with her family and only showed up in Nairobi for her court duties.

However, things took a turn for the worse when Aoko returned to the city two weeks ago to find the main door to her home tampered with.

"Hi, this is Aoko's aide. I'm tweeting using her account with the blessings of her dad. After her arrest, she opted to stay with family upcountry only going to Nairobi for meetings & Court," the aide revealed.

"Two weeks ago, upon her return to Nairobi, she found her main door clobbered at the hinges. She called me panicked. I asked her to take pictures and leave. She decided not to say it to prevent drawing attention that she was around."

Further, her caretaker and watchman also reported strange men hovering around, asking about her whereabouts.

"Days later, she was interviewed by AFP about her arrest ordeal & continued threats. After her tweet on Mr. "F", she went incognito, which we (family & friends) thought it normal, perhaps she just wanted to confuse enemies," the aide added.

On Friday, August 16, police reportedly stormed her house, seized her phones and laptop, and later took her to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for questioning. She spent the weekend in police custody.