Civil Society Condemns Abduction and Harassment of Activist Mwabili Mwagodi, Demands Action from Authorities
According to PRWG-K, his ordeal highlights a broader pattern of shrinking civic space and intensifying repression across East Africa.
**Caption:** Civil society groups accuse police of complicity in the disappearance and harassment of activist Mwabili Mwagodi. Photo/The Star Kenya.
By Robert Assad
A coalition of civil society organisations has strongly condemned the alleged enforced disappearance, harassment, and incommunicado detention of Kenyan activist Mwabili Mwagodi, accusing law enforcement of complicity and negligence in the case.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Police Reforms Working Group-Kenya (PRWG-K) reported that Mwagodi was abducted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on July 23. He was later found abandoned in a forested area in Kinondo, Kwale County, around 3 a.m. on July 27.
Disoriented and physically drained, Mwagodi is said to have walked several kilometers to the Diani Police Station seeking help—only to be threatened with arrest by police officers instead.
Mwagodi is known for his prominent role in the #OccupyChurch movement, where he has been a vocal critic of government corruption and what he calls the increasing political influence over religious institutions.
According to PRWG-K, his ordeal highlights a broader pattern of shrinking civic space and intensifying repression across East Africa.
“The indifference and institutional apathy shown by agencies such as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), even as his family pleaded for help, reflect a disturbing trend,” the coalition stated.
The group cited multiple legal violations in Mwagodi’s treatment, including breaches of Article 244 of the Constitution—which mandates that police uphold human rights and dignity—as well as provisions in the National Police Service Act and the Prevention of Torture Act, 2012. It warned that such actions seriously undermine public confidence in law enforcement.
PRWG-K issued four key demands:
1. A public apology from the National Police Service,
2. An independent probe into the conduct of officers in Diani,
3. A formal government stance on the protection of civic actors, and
4. A bilateral commitment from Kenya and Tanzania to end the cross-border targeting of activists.
“Mwabili’s case is not isolated,” the statement added. “It reflects an alarming erosion of constitutional protections and a dangerous acceptance of transnational repression.”
The declaration was endorsed by over 20 human rights organisations, including Amnesty International Kenya, HAKI Africa, the Katiba Institute, Kenya Human Rights Commission, Transparency International Kenya, FIDA-Kenya, and the International Justice Mission.
“The police are meant to protect, not persecute,” the coalition asserted. “Action must be taken now—before impunity becomes standard practice and justice a rare exception.”
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