Tanzania Police Detain Boniface Mwangi [VIDEO]
Mwangi was accosted in the morning hours and taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation, a matter that made him miss court proceedings, which began against Lissu.
Viral Tea Ke Writer ![Tanzania Police Detain Boniface Mwangi [VIDEO]](https://viraltea.co.ke/uploads/images/202505/image_870x_682b2496a4da9.jpg)
Tanzania Immigration Police on Monday, May 19, reportedly detained human rights activist Boniface Mwangi, amidst a diplomatic saga regarding the arbitrary detainment of Kenyan activists seeking to observe the trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
According to Shakira Wafula, who rose to prominence during the June 2024 Gen Z protests by courageously confronting Kenyan police officers, Mwangi was accosted in the morning hours and taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation, a matter that made him miss court proceedings, which began against Lissu.
"We’re back at the hotel, and Tanzanian Immigration Police have arrested Boniface Mwangi. He was ambushed during breakfast and taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation. As a result, he missed the entire court session today," she shared on X.
Wafula added that officers had returned him to the hotel moments ago to search his room and confiscate his gadgets, demanding to know who he had been communicating with. She expressed deep concern about what she termed as intimidation tactics.
We’re back at the hotel, and Tanzanian Immigration Police have arrested @MwangiBonnie.
He was ambushed during breakfast and taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation. As a result, he missed the entire court session today. Just moments ago, officers returned him to the… pic.twitter.com/9dyK9sOIHp — Shakira Wafula (@fit_ermined) May 19, 2025
A video seen by Viral Tea showed Mwangi angrily confronting the officers, demanding them to "Identify yourselves", while pressuring them to explain why they were trying to detain him in a foreign country.
Meanwhile, former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, who was earlier detained alongside activists Hussein Khalid and Hanifa Adan, is set to be deported from Tanzania following his detention at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam.
The trio had flown to Tanzania on Monday, May 19, to witness the court session involving Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu. In a statement, Khalid revealed that they were turned over to Kenya Airways with orders for immediate deportation back to Kenya on the next available flight.
"Finally, we have our passports back. Up to this point, no reasons have been given for the denial of entry," read the statement in part, adding "We’ve been handed over to Kenya Airways officials for immediate deportation."
The two are scheduled to board their flight at 2:50 p.m., with an expected arrival in Nairobi around 4:00 p.m.
This deportation follows just a day after Martha Karua and two other lawyers were blocked from entering Tanzania. Like the deported trio, Karua and her team had planned to attend Tundu Lissu's court hearing.
So far, Tanzanian authorities have not provided an official explanation for denying entry to the leaders and the activists. Meanwhile, in Kenya, activists took to the Nairobi streets, marching towards the Tanzanian Embassy to demand accountability from the Tanzanian government over the high number of detentions.
Speaking from the scene, they demanded that Tanzanian authorities issue a formal apology for deporting former Justice Minister Martha Karua and others. They also called for assurances that such an incident would not happen again.
On Sunday, May 18, Martha Karua, accompanied by human rights advocates Gloria Kimani and Lynn Ngugi, travelled to Tanzania but were denied entry upon arrival at Julius Nyerere International Airport.
Tundu Lissu, the opposition leader at the centre of the controversy, faces charges of treason and spreading false information after calling for electoral reforms during a rally. He currently serves as the national chairperson of Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), Tanzania’s main opposition party. On Monday morning, Lissu made his first in-person court appearance at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate’s Court, having previously skipped two online hearings.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s former Chief Justice David Maraga successfully landed in Tanzania and attended the court session without incident—a stark contrast to the experience of his predecessor, Willy Mutunga, who had faced challenges entering the country.
Kenya, through Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei, earlier demanded that "We strongly urge the authorities in Tanzania to release the former Chief Justice of Kenya and his delegation consistent with the norms of the East African Community."
