Human rights organisations have called for international sanctions against East African leaders following the reported arrest, secret detention, and torture of activists Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire in Tanzania last month.
In a statement released on Monday, a coalition of civil society groups—spearheaded by former Kenyan Chief Justice Willy Mutunga—condemned the incident as a blatant violation of human rights and democratic freedoms. The groups also criticised the apparent silence of regional and international bodies, including the East African Community (EAC), the African Union (AU), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
“We demand immediate international sanctions against President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, William Ruto of Kenya, and Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, for continued atrocities against the people of East Africa,” said Dr Mutunga.
Mwangi, a well-known Kenyan activist, and Atuhaire, a Ugandan journalist and government critic, were reportedly apprehended by Tanzanian security personnel in Dar es Salaam on 19 May while attending court proceedings related to Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
Despite holding valid East African passports and return tickets, the two were allegedly abducted from their hotel, held incommunicado for three days, and subjected to physical abuse before being expelled—Mwangi to Kenya and Atuhaire to Uganda.
Photographs shared by Mwangi upon his return to Nairobi depicted injuries to his face and neck. He claimed to have been blindfolded, assaulted, and interrogated. Atuhaire also alleged that she was physically assaulted and subjected to threats and sexual violence during her detention.
The coalition of activists is now urging the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to investigate not only this incident but also similar reports of unlawful detention and torture across Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya.
“We demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of all Tanzanian officials involved in these actions,” they said in a joint statement.
Furthermore, the Human rights defenders plan to escalate the matter to global platforms, including engaging United Nations mechanisms, in a bid to push Tanzania to push Tanzania to ratify the UN Convention Against Torture.
They also appealed to the Tanzanian and Ugandan governments to unconditionally release opposition leaders Tundu Lissu and DR Kizza Besigye, as well as other political detainees held on what they described as fabricated charges.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@nairobilawmonthly.com, and to advertise with us, call +254715061658 anytime of the day
