Boniface Mwangi freed after Kenya pressures Tanzania

Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi has been released by Tanzanian authorities after several days in detention without charge, following public outcry and diplomatic pressure from Kenya.

The announcement was made by the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi, who confirmed Mwangi’s release and return to freedom.

Mwangi’s detention had stirred widespread outrage among Kenyans, with many accusing Tanzanian authorities of acting arbitrarily.

His arrest sparked threats of public protests outside the Tanzanian High Commission in Nairobi and calls for urgent action.

The turning point came after the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs sent a firm diplomatic note to Dodoma on May 21.

The démarche demanded immediate consular access to Mwangi or his release, citing violations of international obligations.

"The Ministry is also concerned about his health, overall well-being, and the absence of information regarding his detention," the letter read.

Kenya’s protest letter referred to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, which gives citizens the right to consular support when detained abroad.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights confirmed that the activist was in Ukunda, Kwale.

"He is in high spirits. The Commission and other partners are making arrangements to transfer him to Nairobi for medical attention," the Commission said in a statement.

In a photo the commission shared on their official X platform, Bonnie was seen the company of his wife and other activists.

Mwangi was arrested at a hotel in Tanzania alongside Ugandan journalist Agatha Atuhaire, and their whereabouts remain unknown.

They had flown to Tanzania to attend a court session for the main opposition leader, Tundu Lissu.

Other activists who were supposed to join them, including former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and PLP leader Martha Karua, were detained at the Julius Nyerere International Airport and deported back to Kenya.

Former Chief Justice David Maraga was among a few who managed to enter Tanzania without problems with the authorities.

Human rights activists in Kenya threatened to lead demonstrations across the border into neighbouring Tanzania if Boniface Mwangi is not released within 24 hours.

The activists said they will start by "occupying" the Tanzanian Embassy in Nairobi should the East African nation fail to release Mwangi by Wednesday, May 21, 2025.