Human rights activist Mwabili Mwagodi, who went missing in Tanzania last Wednesday, has been found alive and is currently receiving medical attention at a Mombasa hospital.

According to rights groups Vocal Africa and Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI), Mwagodi was found early Sunday morning in a bush in Kinondo, Kwale County, after reportedly being dumped by individuals believed to be plainclothes police officers. He had walked over three kilometers to Diani and contacted his family, prompting immediate intervention by human rights defenders.

While seeking help at a local police station, officers allegedly attempted to detain him again until activists stepped in to secure his release. He was then rushed to Pandya Hospital for urgent medical care and is expected to be flown to Nairobi to reunite with his family.

Family members said Mwagodi was tortured and held in a dark, isolated room during his disappearance. His personal items including travel documents, passport and electronic devices were confiscated.

Mwagodi had been in Dar es Salaam for work, where he runs a hotel in Kigamboni, but had also been under surveillance due to his role in anti-finance bill protests and open criticism of President William Ruto’s administration.

His case has triggered an online outcry, with the hashtag #FreeMwabiliMwagodi trending and civil society groups calling for independent investigations by both Kenyan and Tanzanian authorities.

Activists say this reflects the May 2025 arrest and deportation of Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan lawyer Agather Atuhaire from Tanzania. They believe such cases show a growing trend of East African governments working together to silence critics.

“It is by God’s miracle that we have found him.We were really worried about his life,” said Zacharia Mwagodi, his uncle.