Activist Arrested While Travelling to Tanzania

Kenyan Activist Mwabili Mwagodi has allegedly been arrested at the Lunga Lunga border post while travelling to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

In a statement on Monday, February 16, Mwagodi said he was barred from leaving Kenya by the immigration officers who cited a red notice issued against his passport.

He claimed that the alert came from one of the senior DCI officers based at DCI headquarters along Kiambu Road.

“On my way to Dar es Salaam on 15th February 2026, I was denied exit out of Kenya at the Lunga Lunga border by the Immigration department due to a red notice issued against my passport around Jan/Feb 2025,” Mwagodi claimed.

The activist also alleged that the senior DCI officer issued a warrant of arrest against him without specifying the crime he committed.

Mwagodi further mentioned that he is being detained at the Lunga Lunga police station, with the officers allegedly waiting for instructions on what to do with him.

“The OCS and DCI officer I am under custody of visited morning of 16/02 in my jail cell and informed me that they are still waiting for instructions from DCI Mazingira House on what to do with me,” Mwagodi stated.

The incident comes months after the vocal activist went missing while in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Mwagodi was found days later after being dropped in a bush in Kinondo, Kwale County.

Human Rights Activist and Vocal Africa CEO Hussein Khalid, in an update, said Mwagodi walked for 3 kilometers to Diani, where he contacted his family, revealing his whereabouts.

“Mwabili was dropped in a bush in Kinondo, Kwale county, around 3 am, where he walked for about 3 kilometers to Diani. While in Diani, he managed to call his family, who alerted us, and we sent our officers immediately,” said Khalid.

The activist was taken to Pandya Hospital in Mombasa for a quick medical check-up, after which he flew to Nairobi and reunited with his family.