DAR ES SALAAM, TANANIA — Prominent Kenyan activist Mwabili Mwagodi, known as “TL Elder” on the social media platform X, has allegedly been abducted in Tanzania, sparking significant concern among human rights advocates and his family.
Hussein Khalid, a human rights activist and CEO of Vocal Africa, issued a statement on X, confirming the alleged abduction after being contacted by a family member of Mwagodi.
“A Kenyan has been abducted in Tanzania. Again,” Khalid wrote, adding, “Family has confirmed that Mwabili Mwagodi, who is a Kenyan activist and was vocal against church donations, was abducted in Tanzania on Wednesday.”
According to Mwagodi’s sister, the activist, who is employed at a hotel, disappeared on the night of Wednesday, July 23, in Dar es Salaam. He had been working at the Amani Beach Hotel in Kigamboni.
His employer attempted to file a missing person report but was instructed to wait 24 hours.
“My brother Mwabili Mwagodi on Twitter TL Elder is missing since last night in Dar es Salaam (he works for Amani Beach Hotel in Kigamboni). We are unable to reach him. His employer went to report missing person report this evening but was told until it’s 24 hours,” she wrote.
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She further expressed the family’s deep concern, noting Mwagodi’s prominent role in opposing President Ruto’s fundraising missions and his active online mobilization of Gen Z on social media platforms. “We are worried because he was in the frontline of blocking Ruto’s church fundraising missions in church and has been quite vocal mobilizing GenZ on social media platforms.”
Hussein Khalid, referencing previous incidents, commented, “It seems President Suluhu Samia and her government are working round the clock to target Kenyan activists.”
This alleged abduction follows months after Kenyan activists Agather Atuhaire and Boniface Mwangi were detained in Tanzania. They had traveled to support opposition leader Tundu Lissu during his trial on Monday, May 19, and were reportedly held incommunicado for days before eventually resurfacing at various border points.
