Shock in Mombasa as Police Allegedly Assault Human Rights Activist Francis Auma While Blocking Justice for Another Victim

There is growing anger and concern in Mombasa after a well-known human rights activist was reportedly assaulted by police. The activist, Francis Auma, who works with the group Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI), was attacked on Saturday, August 2, according to several civil society leaders. 

Hussein Khalid, the CEO of Vocal Africa, confirmed the incident and said the police were responsible. He claimed that even a high-ranking police officer, the Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD), was involved in the assault. 

Francis Auma was seriously injured. Reports say he was bleeding from his ears, and the injuries were so bad that his safety and health are now a major concern. 

“This is a very serious attack,” Hussein Khalid said. “Francis Auma has been working to protect people’s rights in Mombasa. Instead of being protected, he was attacked by the very people who are supposed to keep us safe.” 

He also warned that activists in Mombasa are being targeted unfairly by police. “This is not an isolated incident. It’s part of a worrying pattern,” Khalid added. 

This shocking event came just hours after another major concern. MUHURI and other Coast-based civil society groups had taken Mwabili Mwagodi, another activist, to Central Police Station in Mombasa. They wanted to help him record a statement about his recent abduction in Tanzania. 

But when they arrived at the station, they were blocked by the Officer Commanding Station (OCS). The police refused to let Mwabili tell his story or write a formal report. 

MUHURI reacted strongly, calling the move an obstruction of justice. They said the police had no legal reason to block the statement and accused them of trying to hide the truth. 

“The police refusal is not just rude. It’s illegal and dangerous,” MUHURI said in a statement. “Mwabili has the right to be heard and to seek justice. This was a deliberate attempt to silence him.” 

The group also raised alarm about Mwabili’s safety, saying that the way he was abducted shows signs of secret cooperation between Tanzanian and Kenyan authorities. 

Mwabili’s story is both frightening and disturbing. He was in Tanzania on July 21 when he was taken by Tanzanian authorities. He was then held incommunicado, meaning no one knew where he was, for four days. 

Then, in the early hours of Sunday, July 27, he was dumped in a bush in Kinondo, Kwale County in Kenya. From there, he managed to walk to the Diani Police Station, but even there, he was briefly detained again. 

According to Mwabili, Kenyan police were involved in handing him over at the border, which makes the whole event even more concerning. 

As of now, many of Mwabili’s personal items, including his laptop, three phones, travel documents, and even his belt, are still being held by Kenyan police. There is no explanation for why these items have not been returned. 

This double tragedy, the assault of Francis Auma and the blocking of justice for Mwabili Mwagodi, has created a major outcry across Kenya’s human rights community. 

Many are asking: Why are activists being attacked? Why is the police blocking them from telling their stories? Who will hold the police accountable? 

The civil society groups are now demanding an independent investigation. They want the officers involved to face justice and be removed from their positions. 

They are also calling for the return of Mwabili’s personal items and full protection for both him and Auma. 

For years, MUHURI and other activists have worked to protect the rights of ordinary people at the Coast. Now, it seems they are being punished for doing so. 

As these events continue to unfold, the message from civil society is clear: Human rights defenders must be protected, not attacked. And justice must not be blocked by those in power.