Edgar Edson Mwakabela who went missing on June 23, 2024, leading to a viral campaign on X #WhereIsSativa, was found yesterday dumped in the Katavi National Park. In a shocking revelation, Mwakabela says he was first taken into the Oysterbay Police workshop, before leaving with his kidnappers to Arusha (600Km) and then Katavi (1400 Km).
In the first video that confirmed he was alive, Edgar is seen sitting in the dust, complaining that his head hurts. “Please help me, my head hurts, my legs are swollen,” Edgar can be heard pleading with the people who found him.
Later when he was taken to the hospital, Mwakabela revealed more details about his kidnapping saying that he was shot in the head, but by the stroke of luck, the bullet hit his jaw.
“I was kidnapped on Sunday around seven in the night and taken to Oysterbay Police Station. I know the Oysterbay station does not have my records, but they took me to the workshop at the Oysterbay Station where I stayed from eight o’clock until 5:20 in the morning,” explained Mwakabela about his ordeal.
He continued: “Then, the people who have been with me all these days came and took me from Monday until this morning when they shot me in the head. But God is good, I was shot in the head, but by God’s grace, the bullet passed through my jaw. As we speak, my lower left teeth need to be fixed.”
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Mwakabela was left in the middle of the Katavi National Park, a corridor where wild animals such as lions often pass. While the motive for the Mwakabela kidnapping is unclear, some social media users have associated it with his support for the traders’ strike and the tension he had with some pro-government influencers.
Accountability
Several people have come forward to demand accountability for the kidnapping especially following the release of details that Police premise was used in the abduction.
“Inspector General of Police, how can you allow a Police Station to be used by a gang of kidnappers? How do you feel about a citizen who is supposed to feel safe at the station being tortured there?” asked Politician Zitto Kabwe in X post.
He added: “How can you accept this in the Police Force? Commander Wambura, I request you to first conduct a thorough independent investigation, and hold your Oysterbay commanders accountable immediately, If you cannot do these things, please resign immediately.”
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Former Mayor of Ubungo, Boniface Jacob, claims he was also taken to the same workshop following the 2020 election.
He said: “The place mentioned by Edgar Edson Mwakabela (SATIVA), that he was taken to the ‘workshop’ of the police for broken-down vehicles at the old Oysterbay police station, is the same place where I, Godbless Lema, and Freeman Mbowe were taken on November 1, 2020, after being kidnapped by the Police Force following the announcement of protests against the 2020 General Election.”
He added: “That workshop is not a place that anyone can access, it is protected by armed Police as it has vehicles in holding by traffic Police and some of them are court evidence. I expect to see the resignation of the Minister of Home Affairs, Hamad Masauni, and IGP Cammillius Wambura due to this incident.”
The Legal and Human Rights Center has released a statement condemning the incident and called for an investigation and protection of Mwakabela until his abductors are apprehended.
While Mwakabela is currently receiving treatment at Mpimbwe Hospital, organizers of the campaign #WhereIsSativa have started another campaign to fundraise for his treatment, so far Sh. 7,500,000/ has been collected.
Katavi Police has released a statement saying they have started an investigation on the incident.
