Prominent Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi has been detained in Tanzania under murky circumstances, sparking regional concern over growing repression of civil liberties in East Africa.
Mwangi, a vocal anti-corruption and police brutality campaigner, was arrested on Monday at the Serena Hotel in Dar es Salaam, where he had traveled to show solidarity with Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu. Lissu, the former presidential candidate and leader of the Chadema Party, is facing treason charges in a case critics describe as politically motivated.
Speaking to AFP, Mwangi’s wife, Njeri Mwangi, expressed distress over her inability to reach her husband since the arrest.
“I have been told they are waiting for the government of Tanzania to consult and decide whether to charge him or to deport him,” she said.
According to her, Mwangi was detained alongside Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire. The two were held overnight at the central police station in Dar es Salaam. Their lawyer, Jebra Kambole, confirmed the detention, saying legal channels were being pursued to secure their release.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan appeared to address the matter on Monday, warning against foreign interference in Tanzania’s national affairs.
“Let us not allow ill-mannered individuals from other countries to cross the line here,” President Suluhu declared, urging security agencies to act firmly against foreign activists.
The crackdown has drawn sharp criticism, particularly after several high-profile regional figures were denied entry into Tanzania. Among them was Kenyan politician and former presidential candidate Martha Karua, who was deported shortly after arriving at the airport to attend Lissu’s trial.
Karua is also representing Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye, who is facing his own treason trial. Besigye was previously kidnapped in Kenya and transported to Uganda under controversial circumstances. Karua later confirmed via social media that she had entered Uganda “without a hitch” ahead of his hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
Regional activists have condemned the arrests and deportations as part of a wider trend of democratic backsliding across East Africa.
“The pattern is clear. Voices of dissent are being silenced under the guise of sovereignty,” said a Nairobi-based civil rights advocate who asked not to be named for safety reasons.
As pressure mounts on Tanzanian authorities to release Mwangi and other detained activists, human rights organisations are calling for immediate international attention to the shrinking civic space in the region.
