Arusha – The founders of the popular online platform Wachokonozi say their recent arrest and prosecution were expected consequences of challenging the status quo, and they plan to expand their operations despite the continued confiscation of their equipment.
In a wide-ranging interview with The Chanzo on July 5, 2026, Joseph Mrindoko and Jackson Kabalo discussed the origins of their platform, their experience in custody, and their vision for the future.
The interview, published on July 30, marks their first comprehensive public remarks since the District Court of Arumeru dropped the case against them on June 8.
The pair had faced charges of publishing false information online and operating without a licence following their arrest in June 2025. The prosecution collapsed after failing to present witnesses, a development Mrindoko publicly described as a “weak script.”
The platform was born from informal conversations. Mrindoko and Kabalo had been meeting regularly to discuss development, national, and international issues over coffee, before deciding to record and share those discussions publicly.
The name Wachokonozi, which loosely translates to “those who provoke” or “those who poke,” was registered immediately after they agreed to go public, to prevent anyone else from claiming it.
Kabalo, who handles production, said their rapid growth was not surprising given the nature of the topics they addressed. Mrindoko said they deliberately presented themselves as ordinary young men rather than suit-wearing intellectuals, drawing on his knowledge of psychology to make complex ideas accessible.
Mrindoko holds degrees in law, education, and psychology, and has authored 218 books on philosophy. He has also worked as a psychologist, training police officers, political leaders, and others on mental health and professional conduct.
Anticipating the arrest
Despite the dramatic nature of their arrest, which initially appeared to be an abduction by plainclothes officers, the duo said they were not surprised.
“I told [Kabalo] from the first day we talked that one day we would be caught,” Mrindoko said. “I told him clearly that one day we would be caught, either imprisoned or killed. Because when you speak about high-level knowledge, there is resistance because most people have a mindset of habit.”
Mrindoko said their content was never intended to trigger a state response. He argued that in a functioning system, state intelligence would use their platform to understand youth perspectives rather than suppress them.
“If I were the state, for example, managing the national intelligence department, we should have been a department of national intelligence,” he said. “Because in psycho-intelligence, when you get people who help you show the minds of your people, those are people to use.”
READ MORE: Arusha Court Drops Case Against Wachokonozi Duo After Prosecution Stalls
The arrest carried a high social cost. Kabalo recounted how neighbours who did not follow social media closely assumed he had been arrested for online fraud, a perception he struggled to correct after his release.
“Some people who perhaps do not follow social media knew exactly that I had committed online fraud,” Kabalo said. He added that some religious communities, whom Wachokonozi had previously criticised, interpreted the arrest as divine justice.
Mrindoko noted that even his own family’s initial reaction reflected a broader problem: many Tanzanians assume that anyone arrested by police must be guilty, because they lack knowledge of their legal rights.
Harsh realities
The duo’s time in custody exposed them to the harsh realities of the criminal justice system. Mrindoko recounted meeting inmates who had been on remand for up to seven years for minor offences, including one boda boda rider held for seven years after being found carrying khat he said he did not know about.
He criticised the prosecution’s handling of their own case, noting that the charges were based on personal feelings rather than legal facts. One charge accused them of falsely claiming the TAZARA railway had been privatised to the Chinese, a topic that was already in the public domain and widely reported, including by The Chanzo.
“It teaches me that there is a problem in our entire prosecution system that needs to be changed and improved,” Mrindoko said. “I think prosecutors are used to their jobs, not that they do them as they studied. If they were doing them as they studied, we wouldn’t have all these complaints.”
READ MORE: Viral Tanzanian Political Podcasters Wachokonozi Arrested for Alleged Social Media Abuse
He suggested that prosecutors act out of fear of their superiors rather than adherence to the law, leading to cases that waste public resources and violate citizens’ rights.
The case also highlighted the confusing regulatory environment for digital content creators. While charged with operating a media outlet without a licence, the duo insists they are an “edutainment” company registered with the Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA) and the National Arts Council (BASATA), which had recently invited Mrindoko to a masterclass despite his earlier arrest.
“We have never been a media outlet because we do not report current affairs,” Mrindoko explained. “We give our own views, which are not current issues. So you cannot call us media because we do not interview anyone and we do not sell advertisements.”
This regulatory ambiguity echoes concerns raised by media stakeholders. A recent study by the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority acknowledged that broadcasters and online content operators face a complex web of licences and rules, recommending a simplified system.
The broader media environment remains under strain. In a recent Kivulini Talks panel discussion that The Chanzo organised, media experts debated whether the sector is “alive, ailing, or dead,” with many concluding it is severely ill due to political pressure and economic constraints.
Looking ahead
Despite the legal victory, Wachokonozi remains hampered by the state’s continued retention of their equipment, including bank cards, licences, and production gear. The duo is currently fundraising to replace the confiscated items and resume regular production.
READ MORE: Is Tanzania’s Media Sector Ready to Adopt AI? New Study Finds About Half of Newsrooms Are Prepared
Kabalo described the ordeal as a stimulus to continue their work.
“What I am doing, I will improve it more to be a big thing that the world will hear, listen to, and benefit from,” he said. “So this is, let’s say, they have stimulated us to continue what we are doing.”
Mrindoko outlined a vision for transforming society through investment in education, particularly for women and children, arguing that a nation whose people do not grow intellectually cannot develop sustainably. He cited the example of Iran’s investment in women’s education as a model.
“If I get a chance to change Tanzania with my thoughts, I would change Tanzania in the setup of the minds and behaviours of its people,” Mrindoko said. “When the world is progressing while the people you have are not progressing mentally, that’s a challenge. Because you are missing the world.”
Kabalo echoed the sentiment, arguing that young Tanzanians have not sufficiently committed themselves to national development, and that the country belongs not to any minister or member of parliament, but to every young person.
