Kenyan activists threaten to lead protests into Tanzania over Bonface Mwangi detention

They have given Tanzanian authorities 24 hours to release Boniface Mwangi

by JAMES MBAKA

News20 May 2025 - 15:21

In Summary

“Oppressive leaders, your time is up! We want Boniface back today, or else all of us will come to Tanzania so you can deport us again,” Githuku warned.
“We are giving Suluhu 24 hours to release them. If not, we will occupy the Tanzanian High Commission. And that's not all — we will go to Tanzania!”

Human rights activists in Kenya have threatened to lead demonstrations across the border into neighbouring Tanzania if Boniface Mwangi is not released within 24 hours.

The activists said they will start by “occupying” the Tanzanian Embassy in Nairobi should the East African nation fail to release Mwangi by Wednesday, May 21, 2025.

Mwangi was allegedly arrested at his hotel in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where he had planned to attend opposition leader Tundu Lissu’s treason trial on Monday, May 19, 2025.

Addressing journalists in Nairobi on Tuesday, May 2025, the Kongamano la Mapinduzi alliance condemned Tanzanian authorities for what they termed the suppression of democratic freedoms.

“Our comrades Agatha and Boniface are still being held in Tanzania by the state. We can't speak with them — they don't have phones — but we have our fellow activists in Tanzania following up on the matter,” Don Githuku said.

The group, which described itself as a political coalition of leftist Kenyan individuals, organisations, initiatives, and movements, urged Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan to order the release of all detained activists.

“Oppressive leaders, your time is up! We want Boniface back today, or else all of us will come to Tanzania so you can deport us again,” Githuku warned.

“We are giving Suluhu 24 hours to release them. If not, we will occupy the Tanzanian High Commission. And that's not all — we will go to Tanzania!”

The group also blamed regional leaders for the alleged clampdown on social liberties and democratic space.

“We are Africans, East Africans, and we have a right to work with each other. We do not have a problem with each other as citizens of East Africa — it is the presidents. It is shocking that our Jumuiya,” Githuku said.

President Suluhu on Monday, May 19, 2025, stated that foreign activists would not be allowed to “interfere” in the country's affairs, after several attempted to attend Lissu’s trial.

“We have started to observe a trend in which activists from within our region are attempting to intrude and interfere in our affairs,” Suluhu said in a televised speech during the launch of Tanzania’s new foreign policy.

She urged the country’s security and defence organs “not to allow ill-mannered individuals from other countries to cross the line here.”

Several Kenyan rights activists were denied entry to Tanzania over the weekend and deported to Nairobi including Senior Counsel Martha Karua.

Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga was also sent back to Kenya after hours of alleged detention in Tanzania.