Sifuna to Ruto: Withdraw apology, take firm action against Tanzania

Following reports of alleged torture of Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan activist Agatha Atuhaire by Tanzanian police, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has demanded that Kenya takes stronger diplomatic action against Tanzania.

Sifuna criticized President William Ruto’s apology to Tanzania during the National Prayer Breakfast on May 28, arguing instead that Kenya should demand an apology from Tanzania for the mistreatment of the activists.

President Ruto said, "To our neighbours from Tanzania, if we have wronged you in any way, we ask for your forgiveness," and extended a similar apology to Uganda.

But Sifuna insisted, "Withdraw that apology and demand that Tanzania apologise to us instead."

He further suggested that Kenya should ban the leadership of Tanzania’s ruling party, CCM, from entering the country.

He also urged Kenya to withdraw from co-hosting the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations alongside Tanzania and Uganda and to relocate the East Africa Law Society annual conference from Zanzibar.

The two activists traveled to Tanzania on May 18 to monitor court proceedings against opposition leader Tundu Lissu.

However, Mwangi and Atuhaire were reportedly forcibly removed from their hotel, subjected to questioning at several police stations, and held in harsh conditions.

Mwangi recounted being beaten in the presence of lawyers, with a police officer named Mafwele making threatening remarks: "When the lawyers left us, they did not tell our families that we are being beaten, threatened and harassed. Because Mafwele, in front of the lawyers, asked if I was circumcised. He said they would circumcise me again."

He added, "At that station, Mafwele said he is going to rape Agather."

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, the Law Society of Kenya, the International Commission of Jurists, and the Independent Medico-Legal Unit, have called for urgent investigations.

They want the East African Legislative Assembly to hold public hearings and summon foreign ministers from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to clarify the events surrounding the detention and alleged abuse.

Amnesty International’s Executive Director, Houghton Irungu, stated, "We are not prejudicially arguing that they have done anything wrong, but they need to tell the national assemblies what they did to keep Boniface and Agather safe and secondly, what action they will take following the horrendous actions we heard yesterday."

The groups also condemned the failure to provide medical attention or access to legal representation during the activists’ four-day detention.