KHRC demands immediate release of Boniface Mwangi as DCI says arrest linked to terrorism activities during June 25 protests
Mwangi’s arrest occurred just a day after he and Ugandan journalist and lawyer Agather Atuhaire filed a human rights case at the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) in Arusha, Tanzania, against the governments of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and the East African Community (EAC) Secretary General, Veronica Nduva.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has called for the immediate and unconditional release of activist Boniface Mwangi, accusing the government of using fabricated terrorism charges to suppress dissent.
In a statement, KHRC condemned Mwangi’s arrest, saying it is part of a wider trend of weaponising the justice system against protesters and human rights defenders.
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The Commission slammed President William Ruto’s administration for escalating attacks on civil society.
“President William Ruto’s regime must end its alarming tactic of slapping activists and protesters, who are resisting authoritarianism, with trumped-up terrorism-related charges. This troubling escalation is evident in today’s abduction of Boniface Mwangi and reports that the DCI is planning to charge him with terrorism. The DCI must immediately release Mwangi and drop all malicious charges,” KHRC said.
Mwangi was arrested on Saturday at his home in Courage Base, Lukenya, Machakos County. His wife, Njeri Mwangi, confirmed the arrest and revealed that officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) confiscated his electronic devices before driving him to Nairobi.
"Mwangi is currently in custody at Pangani Police Station, where he is undergoing processing to be arraigned tomorrow, Monday, July 21, 2025, for offences related to facilitation of terrorist acts and unlawful possession of ammunition."
Mwangi’s arrest occurred just a day after he and Ugandan journalist and lawyer Agather Atuhaire filed a human rights case at the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) in Arusha, Tanzania, against the governments of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and the East African Community (EAC) Secretary General, Veronica Nduva.
The petition, filed on July 18, accuses the Tanzanian government of abduction, torture, and illegal deportation of Mwangi and Atuhaire. According to the duo, they were abducted in May from a Dar es Salaam hotel by unidentified operatives, detained at multiple locations including an immigration office and a central police station, tortured, both physically and sexually and later dumped at their respective country borders.
“These violations cannot be ignored. We are demanding accountability and justice at the highest regional level,” they said in their joint petition.
The activists maintain they had lawfully entered Tanzania to observe the treason trial of opposition politician Tundu Lissu and were never presented with any legal justification for their detention or deportation.
His latest arrest has now sparked fresh outrage among civil society groups.
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