Agather Atuhaire Found at Border in Critical Condition After Detention in Tanzania
Human rights lawyer and Ugandan journalist Agather Atuhaire has been found alive but in a severely weakened state at the Tanzania-Uganda border, days after her abduction by Tanzanian authorities. Her condition has sparked outrage and calls for accountability across East Africa.
Atuhaire had been detained in Dar es Salaam alongside Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi on May 19 while attending the treason trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu. Her disappearance ignited regional concern, particularly after Mwangi was found dumped in Ukunda, Kilifi County, following his own deportation.
Hussein Khalid, CEO of VOCAL Africa, confirmed Atuhaire’s recovery, stating, “Tortured, wounded, broken body but determined spirit. Agather has been found. They must pay for what they did to Boniface Mwangi and Agather. Justice must be done and seen to have been done.”
Mwangi, who spoke out after his release, described the experience as “the worst form of torture,” alleging threats and severe mistreatment in detention. “What Suluhu did to us will be revealed to the world. We shall not be silenced by a torturous dictator who has her foot on the necks of the Tanzanian people,” he said, directly accusing President Samia Suluhu of overseeing a repressive crackdown on foreign observers.
The two had traveled to Tanzania to peacefully observe proceedings in the controversial case against Lissu, whose trial has become symbolic of Tanzania’s shrinking democratic space. Instead, they became victims of what activists are calling politically motivated abductions.
Agather’s family reported that she was abandoned under the cover of night at the Mutukula border. She has yet to speak publicly, and the exact circumstances of her detention and release remain murky.
The arrests and alleged torture have drawn condemnation from international human rights groups. Many are calling for an independent investigation into the actions of Tanzanian security forces, as pressure mounts on President Suluhu’s government.
Earlier in the week, Suluhu had warned foreign activists against “interfering” in Tanzania’s internal matters. But the treatment of Atuhaire and Mwangi appears to have triggered more scrutiny than silence.
With growing regional outrage and continued advocacy, the incident is quickly becoming a diplomatic and human rights flashpoint in East Africa. Whether justice will follow, however, remains to be seen.
In other news:Boniface Mwangi Speaks Out After Alleged Torture in Tanzania: ‘I Have Gone Through Four Very Dark Days’
Agather Atuhaire Found at Border in Critical Condition After Detention in Tanzania