Renowned Kenyan human rights activist Boniface Mwangi has found himself at the centre of a growing diplomatic row after being detained by Tanzanian authorities. Mwangi was apprehended alongside Ugandan lawyer and human rights defender Agather Atuhaire during a visit to observe the court hearing of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
The arrest has sparked outrage among civil society organisations across East Africa, with many accusing the Tanzanian government of violating international norms regarding human rights and observer freedoms.
Regional Delegation Detained
Mwangi and Atuhaire were reportedly part of a small East African civil society delegation that had travelled to Tanzania with the intention of observing court proceedings involving Tundu Lissu, a former presidential candidate and leading opposition figure. Lissu was recently arrested on treason charges, a move widely condemned as politically motivated by both local and international rights groups.
The two observers were taken into custody by Tanzanian immigration officials shortly after arriving in the capital, Dodoma. According to local sources, the pair has since been held in an undisclosed location with limited access to legal representation or communication with the outside world.
“We are deeply concerned about the continued detention of Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire,” said a spokesperson for the East African Human Rights Network (EAHRN). “Their only offense was attempting to peacefully observe a public legal process. This detention is a direct affront to the principles of transparency and accountability that Tanzania claims to uphold.”
Tanzania Warns Against “Foreign Interference”
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has not directly addressed the detentions but issued a pointed statement on national television warning against what she termed “foreign interference in our sovereign matters.”
“Tanzania will not tolerate any attempts by external actors to influence our internal judicial proceedings,” President Suluhu said. “Let it be clear that no one will be allowed to destabilize our peace under the guise of democracy or human rights.”
This is not the first time Tanzanian authorities have blocked foreign civil society actors from engaging with internal political processes. Just days before Mwangi’s detention, several Kenyan and Ugandan civil society leaders were reportedly denied entry at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam.
“These actions signal a dangerous trend,” said John Mutenyo, a Nairobi-based political analyst. “The Tanzanian government seems increasingly intolerant of external scrutiny, particularly when it comes to politically sensitive cases like that of Tundu Lissu.”
Tundu Lissu’s Legal Struggles Continue
At the centre of this regional dispute is Tundu Lissu, a high-profile opposition leader who has long been a thorn in the side of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. Lissu was arrested last week and charged with treason—a charge his supporters insist is an attempt to silence dissent.
“This is a political witch hunt, nothing more,” said Anna Mwalimu, a spokesperson for Lissu’s CHADEMA party. “Lissu has only exercised his democratic right to speak out against injustice and corruption. Charging him with treason is both baseless and dangerous.”
Lissu, who survived an assassination attempt in 2017 and spent years in exile in Belgium, returned to Tanzania in 2020 to contest the presidential election. Since then, he has faced multiple legal challenges, public smear campaigns, and now, serious criminal charges.
International observers, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the treason charge as a violation of basic political freedoms.
Regional Civil Society Pushes Back
The detentions have triggered an outpouring of support for Mwangi and Atuhaire across East Africa. Dozens of civil society organisations have signed a joint statement calling for their immediate release and urging Tanzania to respect international legal standards.
“We stand in solidarity with our colleagues who have been unjustly detained,” read the statement, which was co-signed by groups from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and South Sudan. “Regional cooperation and mutual respect are key to fostering a healthy democratic environment across East Africa.”
Activist Boniface Mwangi’s wife, Njeri Mwangi, also issued a passionate plea on social media, urging the Kenyan government to intervene diplomatically to secure her husband’s release.
“My husband is not a criminal,” she wrote. “He travelled to Tanzania in good faith, to observe a trial of immense regional significance. His continued detention is a violation of his rights and a danger to cross-border activism.”
Kenyan Government Responds
Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it is in contact with Tanzanian authorities regarding the detention. In a brief statement issued on Wednesday morning, the ministry said it was “actively engaged in efforts to ensure the safety and legal rights of Kenyan nationals currently held in Tanzania.”
While the statement did not mention Mwangi by name, it acknowledged the “growing diplomatic concern” over the treatment of civil society leaders in the region.
“Kenya remains committed to the promotion of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law across East Africa,” the ministry added.
The Bigger Picture
The diplomatic fallout from Mwangi and Atuhaire’s detention underscores growing tensions between governments and civil society across East Africa. Analysts warn that the Tanzanian government’s increasing hostility toward foreign observers could set a worrying precedent for other authoritarian-leaning regimes in the region.
“Today it’s Tanzania. Tomorrow it could be any other East African nation cracking down on international observers,” warned Stella Nantume, a Kampala-based human rights lawyer. “We must resist this erosion of accountability mechanisms at all costs.”
For now, the fate of Mwangi and Atuhaire remains uncertain. With international pressure mounting and domestic outrage simmering, all eyes are on Dodoma as the region awaits Tanzania’s next move.
