Mudavadi confirms Boniface Mwangi is still in custody in Tanzania, disputes deportation claims

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has confirmed that activist Boniface Mwangi is still being held in custody in Tanzania, disputing widespread claims that he had been deported back to Kenya.

On Tuesday, Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) President Boniface Mwabukusi posted on X that he had received reports from Advocate Emmanuel Ukashu, who had been assigned to the case, that Mwangi and Ugandan journalist Agatha Atuhaire had been deported to their respective countries.

“It is alleged that Mwangi was arrested on the grounds of providing false information for purposes of entry into the territory,” Mwabukusi said, adding that the two were repatriated under the escort of Tanzanian immigration officials.

However, speaking during an interview with Citizen TV, Mudavadi disputed the claims, noting that the Kenyan government was closely monitoring the matter through its mission in Tanzania.

“He is in Tanzania, and I’ve been in touch with the Kenyan mission there. He’s being held by the authorities, and we hope he’ll be released,” Mudavadi said.

“Our embassy is in touch with him as well, in terms of trying to figure out how he can be helped so that he can find his way back home.”

Mwangi was arrested on Monday at the Serena Hotel in the Tanzanian capital, where he had travelled to attend the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu. He was detained alongside Ugandan journalist and activist Atuhaire.

When Mudavadi was asked what Tanzanian authorities had told Kenya about the reasons for Mwangi’s detention, Mudavadi noted that no detailed explanation had been provided.

“But we all know through the media that a section of Kenyan individuals wanted to go and observe the judicial process that is going on there in Tanzania, based on the heightened emotive electoral processes that take place in any country when there are elections,” he said.

“So they went there, and the best we can conclude is that they seem to have rattled the administration in Tanzania. But we hope that we can resolve this issue diplomatically, and that’s what we are doing… so that the people who are there can be released and get back to their country.”

Several Kenyan activists and leaders, among them People's Liberation Party leader Martha Karua, former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, and Human rights activists Hussein and Hanifa Adan, were barred from entering Tanzania upon arrival at Julius Nyerere International Airport. The group had flown in to observe Lissu’s court proceedings.

Pressed on whether Kenya had officially reached out to Tanzanian authorities regarding the arrest, detention and deportation of the Kenyan activists, Mudavadi indicated that the government would pursue the matter diplomatically.

“This is something that we will take up through the diplomatic channels. I think it is something that has happened quite suddenly, as you’re aware. And I think my focus now should be that, can we help the individuals who are there to get out of the situation first and then whatever issues come after that, we can pursue in the normal diplomatic way,” he said.

On whether he was satisfied with how the Tanzanian authorities treated and deported Kenyans, Mudavadi pointed to the sensitivities around election periods in East Africa.

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“This is an election period in Tanzania, and it’s usually a highly emotive time. Even in Kenya, we have our own moments of very emotive sessions during elections. So definitely, I think what is important is that we want East Africa, and we want Kenya and Tanzania to continue having cordial relations,” he said.

He added that the incident should serve as a wake-up call for Kenyans. “We also need to appreciate that sometimes we take the freedoms we have here for granted. I think it should also be a wake-up call to us in Kenya that how we operate, how we speak, how we express ourselves, does not necessarily please or work in other countries.”

Asked whether he was implying that the Kenyans upset the Tanzanian authorities, he said: “I think I said they must have rattled the feathers. And I think so, because they went in. It’s an emotive election time. One of the candidates is not contesting. There’s a petition in court. So when the Kenyans went there, I think the Tanzanians may be looking at it and saying, ‘Why have Kenyans come?’”

“Now, when I speak to this, it’s not necessarily that I’m saying I’m defending the Tanzanian position on all the aspects, but I’m just stating the facts as they are at this point in time, until we get any additional information through the diplomatic process.”

Mudavadi also responded to remarks by Karua, who had said during a separate TV interview that Kenyan officials failed to assist the activists when they were detained at the Tanzanian airport.

“First of all, I’ve just said that our ambassador, Isaac Njenga—I’m in touch with him, and he has visited Boniface,” he said.