East Africa: Where Are Kenyan Activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan Journalist Atuhaire?

Boniface Mwangi, a prominent Kenyan activist known for his fight against corruption and police brutality, was detained in Tanzania,  where he had travelled to attend the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu. Mwangi was arrested at a Dar es Salaam hotel with Ugandan journalist Agather Atuhaire, and they were both held overnight at the city’s central police station.

Initially believed to have been deported, they are currently being held by Tanzania’s immigration department, not the police. Mwangi is reportedly accused of providing false information to gain entry into the country, while the reasons for Atuhaire’s detention remain unclear.

Citizen TV showed footage of Mwangi’s wife, Hellen Njeri Mwangi, crying during a protest against her husband’s continued detention. He’s been missing for three days.

The arrests came after a wave of deportations of Kenyan activists, including former justice minister Martha Karua, and two others, who were barred from entering Tanzania to support the trial of the main opposition party leader, Tundu Lissu.  The Chadema party leader was arrested on April 9 after his rallying call for “no reforms, no election”, telling supporters that the general election due in October should not go ahead unless there are electoral reforms.

He now faces treason charges, while he and his Chadema party are barred from contesting in the October presidential election.

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan earlier warned foreign activists against “meddling” in the country’s affairs, citing concerns over potential chaos ahead of the October 2025 elections.  Hassan’s comments came after prominent Kenyan lawyers and rights campaigners were deported, preventing them from attending the court case of Lissu.  This has intensified scrutiny of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration, which faces accusations of suppressing opposition voices ahead of the upcoming elections.