Human rights activist and aspiring politician Boniface Mwangi has expressed serious fear for his life. Speaking at a press briefing in Nairobi, the presidential hopeful detailed an unnerving discovery made shortly after a domestic flight.
On 9 October 2025, after arriving in Malindi from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Mwangi discovered a used ammunition cartridge inside his carry-on bag. He believes the blank round was planted during the brief period the bag was out of his immediate possession at the Nairobi airport.
“This blank cartridge must have been slipped into my bag amidst the very brief moments it wasn’t in my possession,” Mwangi stated. “This is a direct threat to my life.”
Crucially, Mwangi chose not to report the discovery to the police. He cited concern that the incident could be used against him, especially as he already faces what he terms “trumped-up charges” of illegal ammunition possession from a previous police incident in July 2025.
Instead of approaching the authorities, he informed his legal team and a human rights organisation, treating the planted bullet as a direct act of state intimidation.
The activist alleges that the Malindi incident is the latest in a relentless campaign of harassment and persecution orchestrated by the government since June 2024. This campaign, he claims, is specifically designed to silence his outspoken criticism and frustrate his planned 2027 presidential bid.
Since June 2024, the campaign has allegedly included: Five arrests on various charges, an attempted abduction, multiple raids on his home and offices and false charges, including the earlier unlawful possession of ammunition charge in July 2025.
Mwangi further alleged that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is actively monitoring his communications, suppressing his social media presence, and cloning his digital devices.
“The government is using both legal and illegal means to frustrate me,” Mwangi said. “They have weaponized cybercrime laws and initiated false charges, even planning to deregister my businesses.”
The long-time government critic drew parallels between the current threats and those he faced under previous administrations, noting that the intensity of the current harassment is “unrivalled.”
He made it clear that he holds the highest office responsible should any harm befall him.
“Death threats are not new to me,” he stated. “But the intensity now is unprecedented. I genuinely believe my life is in danger.”
