Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi has raised alarm over his safety while in Tanzania, claiming that unidentified armed men attempted to access his hotel room in Dar es Salaam. Mwangi, who is in the country to show solidarity with detained opposition leader Tundu Lissu, said the armed individuals were dressed in civilian clothes and refused to identify themselves.
In a post shared on social media, Mwangi said, “My life is in danger. I’m at Serena Hotel, Dar es Salaam, and there are armed men in civilian clothes outside my room.” He later updated that the men had left his door but had relocated to the hotel lobby, pitching camp there.
The tense incident comes amid a series of detentions of Kenyan human rights activists and political figures by Tanzanian authorities. Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, activists Hanifa Adan and Hussein Khalid were recently held at Julius Nyerere International Airport, with officials citing pending deportation.
On Sunday, other prominent Kenyans, including NARC-Kenya leader Martha Karua, Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Council member Gloria Kimani, and Pan-African Progressive Leaders Solidarity Network member Lynn Ngugi, were also detained and later deported. They were reportedly in Tanzania to support Lissu, who was charged with treason in April 2025.
Mwangi stated that while the armed men have not forcibly removed him, he remains ready to cooperate—on condition that Tanzanian lawyers involved in the case are present. “My bags are packed, and I’m ready to go with those people when the Tanzanian lawyers who are following up on this matter arrive. For now, I will stay put,” he posted.
Rights organizations and opposition groups have accused President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration of suppressing dissent through detentions, abductions, and other coercive tactics. The targeting of visiting activists has raised regional and international concerns about Tanzania’s respect for political freedoms and human rights.
Mwangi’s ordeal adds to a growing list of cross-border human rights challenges in East Africa, with activists now calling for diplomatic intervention to ensure the safety and rights of those advocating for justice and democratic governance.
