Activist Boniface Mwangi Arrested Amid Regional Human Rights Case
Prominent human rights activist Boniface Mwangi was arrested Saturday morning at his home in Lukenya, Machakos County, in a dramatic police operation that has sparked public concern and international attention.
Mwangi’s wife, Njeri Mwangi, confirmed the arrest, stating that officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrived at their residence, Courage Base, and apprehended her husband without providing a clear explanation. She revealed that the officers confiscated his electronic gadgets and mentioned charges related to “terrorism and arson.”
“The police have come to our home in Courage Base and are taking my husband, talking of terrorism and arson! They’ve taken his gadgets and said they are taking him to DCI Headquarters. I can’t breathe,” Njeri wrote on social media platform X.
Human rights defender Hussein Khalid, who has worked closely with Mwangi in the past, also confirmed the arrest. He said Mwangi was being taken to the DCI headquarters along Kiambu Road and that legal counsel, including lawyers James Wa Njeri and Eyan Muthomi, were following up on the matter.
The arrest comes a day after Mwangi and Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire filed a high-profile case at the East African Court of Justice (EACJ). The case challenges the governments of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania for allegedly failing to protect human rights and condoning abuses committed by Tanzanian authorities.
The activists allege that they were abducted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in May 2024, during their attendance at the trial of opposition figure Tundu Lissu. According to their filings, they were held for several days — from May 19 to 23 — and subjected to torture, sexual violence, and unlawful deportation.
Mwangi, a vocal critic of authoritarianism and a champion for civic rights in Kenya and beyond, has often found himself in the crosshairs of state security agencies. His arrest now raises concerns over retaliatory actions linked to his regional activism.
Neither the DCI nor the Ministry of Interior had issued an official statement regarding the arrest by the time of publication.
Rights groups have begun mobilizing support, demanding Mwangi’s immediate release and transparency from the authorities. The Nairobian will continue to monitor this developing story.
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Activist Boniface Mwangi Arrested Amid Regional Human Rights Case