Boniface Mwangi Detained in Tanzania, Family Unable to Contact Him
Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi has been detained in Tanzania under unclear circumstances, raising concerns among regional human rights defenders and his family, who have been unable to reach him since his arrest.
Mwangi, known for his outspoken activism against corruption and police brutality in Kenya, was in Tanzania to attend the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu. The trial, scheduled for Monday, has drawn attention across East Africa, especially following the banning of Lissu’s Chadema party from participating in the upcoming October elections.
Mwangi’s wife, Njeri, told AFP that her husband was arrested at the Serena Hotel in Dar es Salaam alongside Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire. “I have been told they are waiting for the government of Tanzania to consult and decide whether to charge him or to deport him,” she said.
According to his lawyer Jebra Kambole, the two spent the night at the Dar es Salaam Central Police Station. Authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding the reasons for the arrests.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan commented on the situation, stating on Monday that foreign activists would not be allowed to “interfere” with internal matters. She instructed security agencies to prevent “ill-mannered individuals from other countries” from crossing boundaries within Tanzania.
This is not the first incident involving regional figures facing difficulty in Tanzania. Other activists, including Kenya’s former presidential candidate Martha Karua, were barred entry and deported upon arrival in the country. Karua has since traveled to Uganda to represent opposition leader Kizza Besigye in his ongoing treason case.
The arrest of Mwangi and the broader crackdown on opposition voices are being seen by observers as signs of growing democratic backsliding in East Africa. Regional and international human rights groups are closely monitoring the developments and are calling for the immediate release of all detained activists.
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Boniface Mwangi Detained in Tanzania, Family Unable to Contact Him