Missing Activist Mwabili Mwagodi Found As Hanifa Escapes Abduction Attempt

Missing Kenyan activist Mwabili Mwagodi, who disappeared in Tanzania on Wednesday, was found abandoned along the Kenyan coast.

Human rights advocate and Vocal Africa CEO Hussein Khalid confirmed that Mwagodi was left in a bush in Kinondo, Kwale County, during the early hours of Sunday morning, July 27.

After being dropped off, Mwagodi reportedly reached out to his family and went to the Diani police station, where officers attempted to detain him. However, Vocal Africa's intervention secured his release.

He was revealed to be undergoing medical evaluation at a hospital in Mombasa before reuniting with his family in Nairobi.

Kenyan activist Mwabili Mwagodi with officials from Muhuri and Vocal Africa lobby groups. /HUSSEIN KHALID

"Mwabili has been released and is present with our VOCALAfrica and MUHURI Kenya officers in Mombasa. Mwabili was dropped in a bush in Kinondo, Kwale County, around 3 am, where he walked for about 3 km to Diani. While in Diani, he managed to call his family, who alerted us, and we sent our officers immediately," he stated.

"While in Diani, Mwabili voluntarily took himself to the police station, but to everyone’s surprise, the police wanted to detain him. Our officers intervened, and he was released. Presently, Mwabili has been rushed to Pandya Hospital, Mombasa, for a quick medical check-up, after which he will be put on a flight to Nairobi to reunite with his family."

In an interview with The Standard following his release, Mwabili Mwagodi revealed that three Kenyan police officers were involved in his handover to Tanzanian authorities at the Lunga Lunga border.

Mwagodi, who is employed in Tanzania, disclosed that he was detained and tortured during the four days he was missing. He also said authorities seized several of his personal belongings, including his work permit, three mobile phones, a laptop, his belt, passport, and yellow fever vaccination certificate.

Photos shared after his release show Mwagodi in a wheelchair and at Pandya Hospital, where he is undergoing treatment before returning to Nairobi.

Hanifa Survives Abduction Attempt

In other news, human rights activist Hanifa Adan revealed that she narrowly avoided a suspected abduction attempt on Saturday night in Nairobi. In a social media post on Sunday, July 27, Hanifa recounted that two unidentified men tried to force her into a vehicle shortly after she got off a bus.

She claimed one of the men had been sitting next to her during the ride and insisted on giving her a lift in what he said was his brother’s car parked nearby. Despite declining the offer and saying she preferred to take an online taxi, the man persisted. A short while later, he returned with another man—allegedly his "brother"—and the vehicle.

"I alighted from a bus, and this guy I’d been seated next to kept insisting on taking me home. He said his brother was nearby with a car, and I should go with them. I told him I’d already ordered an Uber, but he wouldn’t let it go and kept pushing for a good few minutes as I kept saying no," Hanifa said.

"Then he actually went and came back with his brother, and now both of them were insisting I get into their car. That’s when I started getting really scared. I asked them straight up why I would go with two grown men I don’t know, at night? Why are you insisting so hard?" she added.

Fearing for her safety, Hanifa threatened to scream and alert nearby people, prompting the two men to flee the scene.

In the aftermath, she stated that she now plans to carry pepper spray and other self-defence tools to safeguard herself.