Vocal Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi has been arrested at his home in Lukenya, Machakos County.
According to his wife, Njeri Mwangi, the activist was being taken to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) by officers who also confiscated his electronic devices.
"The police have come to our home in Courage Base and are taking my husband, talking of terrorism and arson! They’ve taken his gadgets and said they are taking him to DCI HQ. I can’t breathe," Njeri posted on X.
Fellow activist Hussein Khalid also confirmed the arrest, stating the reasons behind it remain unclear.
“I can confirm that @bonifacemwangi has been arrested at his home Courage Base by officers from the @DCI_Kenya. Together with his lawyers @JamesKWaNjeri and @eyanm, we are following up to understand why. #FreeBonifaceMwangi,” Khalid wrote on X.
I can confirm that @bonifacemwangi has been arrested at his home Courage Base by officers from the @DCI_Kenya. Together with his lawyers @JamesKWaNjeri and @eyanm, we are following up to understand why.#FreeBonifaceMwangi pic.twitter.com/aTG9fnsVw9 — husseinkhalid (@husskhalid) July 19, 2025
Mwangi’s arrest comes just a day after he and Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire, alongside seven civil society organisations, filed a case before the East African Court of Justice.
The petition accuses the government of Tanzania of serious human rights violations, including enforced disappearance, torture, arbitrary detention, sexual abuse, and unlawful deportation.
The activists are also demanding public apologies from the governments of Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya, along with compensation of at least USD 1 million (approximately KSh130 million) each.
They are further seeking rehabilitation and psychological support.
In May, Mwangi and Atuhaire were reportedly abducted from their hotel in Dar es Salaam by unidentified individuals.
They were taken to the Immigration Department and later to the Central Police Station before being transferred to an unknown location where they were allegedly tortured and sexually abused.
They were eventually dumped across the Tanzanian border, Mwangi into Kenya, and Atuhaire into Uganda.
The two had travelled to Tanzania to observe the treason trial of opposition figure Tundu Lissu.
