Tanganyika Law Society President Boniface Mwabukusi has clarified that Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan journalist Agatha Atuhaire are still detained in Tanzania.
In a statement on Wednesday, May 21, Mwabukusi noted that earlier reports indicating that the two had been deported were inaccurate.
He stated that Mwangi and Agatha are not in police custody, but they remain held by the Immigration Department of the United Republic of Tanzania.
“We wish to provide a clarification regarding the status of 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,” he stated.
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Mwabukusi called on Tanzanian authorities to uphold the law and follow due process in handling the matter.
“We respectfully urge the Immigration authorities to ensure that all actions taken comply fully with the Constitution, statutory requirements, and principles of natural justice. Due process must be strictly observed in line with both domestic law and applicable regional obligations,” he said.
Mwabukusi further assured the public that legal efforts were ongoing to ensure the rights of the duo is are protected.
“Our legal team on the ground is actively monitoring the situation and exploring appropriate legal remedies to facilitate a just and timely resolution,” he added.
Mwangi was in Tanzania to follow the court proceedings of Tanzanian opposition figure Tundu Lissu, who was charged with treason.
On Monday morning, May 19, Mwangi claimed that his life is in danger after unidentified armed men showed up outside his hotel room in Dar es Salaam.
In a series of social media posts, he said that the men refused to identify themselves despite claiming to be law enforcement officers.
"My life is in danger. I'm at Serena Hotel, Dar es Salaam, and there are armed men in civilian clothes outside my room. They claim they are police officers, but they have refused to identify themselves. They will have to break the door to remove me here. I'm not going to open it," he said.
Mwangi expressed fear for his life, citing the deteriorating human rights situation in Tanzania under President Samia Suluhu’s administration.
"I'm scared for my life because there is a lot of abduction in this country; a lot of executions, and people are in jail for resisting President Samia Suluhu's dictatorship. That's why I can't open this door," he added.
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