The United States has condemned the mistreatment of activists Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire in Tanzania.
In a statement on Friday, the US State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs expressed concern over the treatment of the two East African activists and urged a thorough investigation into the alleged human rights abuses.
“We call for an immediate and full investigation into the allegations of human rights abuses. We urge all countries in the region to hold to account those responsible for violating human rights, including torture,” the State Department wrote.
The US reaction comes days after Mwangi was detained in Tanzania while attempting to attend a court hearing for opposition leader Tundu Lissu, an incident that sparked widespread outrage on social media.
Atuhaire, a Ugandan lawyer and human rights activist, was found abandoned on Friday morning at the border between Uganda and Tanzania, while Mwangi was dumped at the Horohoro border, which is approximately 162 kilometres from the Kenya-Tanzania Lunga Lunga border post.
Good people, I have no words?? thank you for your support, concern and love. I am not okay but what a relief to be alive and back home! I still can’t believe @bonifacemwangi and I made it out alive. When 5 mean looking men and one woman pushed us into a very dark car where I…
— Agather Atuhaire (@AAgather) May 24, 2025
Other prominent Kenyans, including former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and constitutional lawyer Martha Karua, were also denied entry into Tanzania.
Yesterday, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi called for calm and diplomatic engagement with neighboring countiries.
Mudavadi said he had personally reached out to Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs over Mwangi’s detention, noting that the discussions were guided by “mutual respect, discretion, and a shared understanding of the deep bond between our people.”
