Activist Boniface Mwangi Alleges Brutal Sexual Abuse by Tanzanian Authorities
Nairobi, Kenya – July 2, 2025
Prominent Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi broke down in tears during a press briefing in Nairobi as he recounted the horrific torture he endured while detained by Tanzanian authorities in May. Mwangi, known for his outspoken activism, revealed that he was stripped naked, tied upside down, and sexually violated during his three-day detention in Tanzania.
Mwangi had travelled to Tanzania to attend the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu at the invitation of the East Africa Law Society. However, what was meant to be a peaceful mission of solidarity turned into a harrowing experience of violence and abuse.
In the emotional briefing held alongside Ugandan journalist and lawyer Agather Atuhaire, who was also detained, Mwangi gave a graphic account of the treatment he suffered at the hands of security agents.
“They told me to strip naked,” Mwangi recalled. “When I did, four men grabbed me and lifted me up. They tied me upside down. They started beating my feet. I screamed, but no tears came out. One of them said, ‘weka moto’—ignite fire. They put lubricant in my rectum and began inserting objects.” Mwangi wept uncontrollably as he described the ordeal.
Mwangi and Atuhaire were deported after three days in custody, following quiet diplomatic engagements between Kenya and Tanzania. On May 22, 2025, Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi confirmed Mwangi’s release.
“We have been engaging through diplomatic channels, and we have engaged with the Tanzanian authorities. The information we have is that he has been released,” Mudavadi stated.
Mwangi later told reporters that he had suffered severe physical and emotional trauma from the torture. “I have gone through four dark days,” he said. “I have been tortured very badly. I can barely walk.” He expressed concern for Atuhaire, who, he said, was subjected to similar abuse while in detention.
“I wouldn’t wish what we went through on anyone,” he said.
“They put lubricant in my rectum and started inserting objects.”
— Flash News Kenya (@flashnewskenya) June 2, 2025
Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi breaks down as he recounts brutal torture by Tanzanian authorities after attending Tundu Lissu’s trial.#JusticeForMwangi #HumanRights #EastAfrica
🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/GEw1zV79bD
He also thanked his supporters across East Africa and beyond who raised their voices while he was in detention. “Thank you to everyone who spoke and stood with us; the solidarity was not in vain.”
Human rights organizations across the region have condemned the treatment of Mwangi and Atuhaire, calling for a full investigation and accountability for those responsible. The Kenya Human Rights Commission and the East Africa Law Society issued a joint statement condemning the acts as “barbaric” and “a gross violation of international law.”
“This case is not just about Boniface or Agather,” said one human rights official. “It’s about the growing threat to civil society and human rights defenders in the region.”
Mwangi’s experience highlights the increasing risks faced by activists and journalists in East Africa, where dissent is often met with intimidation, detention, or worse. Observers fear that Mwangi’s treatment could signal a dangerous precedent for cross-border repression of activists.
Calls are growing for the African Union, the United Nations, and regional bodies such as the East African Community to launch an independent investigation into the incident.
For now, Mwangi says he is focused on recovery—and on ensuring that what happened to him and Atuhaire does not happen to anyone else. “We must speak out,” he said. “If they can do this to me, a public figure, imagine what they’re doing to people no one knows.”
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Activist Boniface Mwangi Alleges Brutal Sexual Abuse by Tanzanian Authorities