Revealed: Boniface Mwangi, Agather Atuhaire not deported, still held by Tanzania immigration
Kenyan activists including VOCAL Africa CEO Hussein Khalid, expressed concern over the whereabouts of both Mwangi and Atuhaire following their apprehension by Tanzanian officials.
Tanzania now claims that Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan lawyer Agather Atuhaire have been freed from police custody and have not been deported as earlier reported.
According to Tanganyika Law Society President Boniface Mwabukusi, the two are being held by Tanzania’s Immigration Department. He noted that, contrary to earlier reports, the two have not been deported but remain detained by immigration officials.
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“We wish to provide a clarification regarding the status of Mr Boniface Mwangi, a Kenyan journalist and human rights activist, and Ms Agatha Atuhaire, a Ugandan journalist and lawyer, who were earlier reported to have been deported from Tanzania. It has now come to our attention that, contrary to initial information, the two individuals have not yet been deported. We have since established that they are no longer in police custody but remain held by the Immigration Department of the United Republic of Tanzania,” Mwabukusi said.
He urged the Tanzanian immigration authorities to uphold the law in their handling of the case, emphasising the importance of due process.
“We respectfully urge the Immigration authorities to ensure that all actions taken comply fully with the Constitution, statutory requirements, and principles of natural justice,” he said.
“Due process must be strictly observed in line with both domestic law and applicable regional obligations.”
Mwabukusi also assured the public that the Tanganyika Law Society’s legal team is actively engaged.
“Our legal team on the ground is actively monitoring the situation and exploring appropriate legal remedies to facilitate a just and timely resolution. We regret any earlier miscommunication and apologise for any inconvenience caused,” he said.
The clarification follows a previous announcement by Mwabukusi on Tuesday that Mwangi and Atuhaire had been deported from Tanzania.
The two were apprehended after Mwangi, who arrived in Tanzania on Sunday to attend the opposition leader Tundu Lissu’s trial the following day, was detained in his hotel on Monday, May 19.
Tanzanian authorities claimed Mwangi had entered the country irregularly.
Kenyan activists, including VOCAL Africa CEO Hussein Khalid, expressed concern over the whereabouts of both Mwangi and Atuhaire following their apprehension by Tanzanian officials.
He insisted that Tanzania must be held accountable for human rights violations.
The situation has also deeply affected Mwangi’s family.
His wife, Njeri Mwangi, broke down in tears in Nairobi’s central business district on Tuesday, as she joined activists demanding answers about his whereabouts.
The group called on authorities to reveal his condition and location, noting that there has been no official update since his detention.
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