Boniface Mwangi on Tanzania torture: They stuffed objects in my backside

Mwangi, known for his outspoken human rights advocacy, claims he was subjected to severe physical and sexual abuse by Tanzanian security agents.
He alleges that his captors applied lubricant to his rectum and inserted foreign objects, actions he attributes to directives from a Tanzanian state security official.

Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi has come forward with harrowing allegations of torture during his recent detention in Tanzania.

Speaking alongside Ugandan journalist and activist Agather Atuhaire, Mwangi, known for his outspoken human rights advocacy, claims he was subjected to severe physical and sexual abuse by Tanzanian security agents.

"They told me to strip naked... tied me upside down, put lubricant in my rectum and started inserting objects in my backside," Mwangi said.

In a detailed account shared on Monday, June 2, 2025, Mwangi described being blindfolded, stripped naked, and tied upside down.

He alleges that his captors applied lubricant to his rectum and inserted foreign objects, actions he attributes to directives from a Tanzanian state security official.

These events reportedly occurred after Mwangi was arrested in Dar es Salaam while attempting to attend the treason trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu. He was later released at the Kenyan border.

AMBUSHED

Mwangi recounted how his ordeal began soon after checking into his hotel. He said that early the next morning, a group of men pounded aggressively on his door, demanding he go with them.

“I said I can’t leave my hotel room at that hour. At 3:30 am, a lawyer appeared, claiming the men were police officers. Still, I refused and barricaded myself inside until morning,” Mwangi explained.

Later, he reached out to Atuhaire to help him retrieve his belongings in preparation for his departure. But when he went downstairs, the same men, now joined by others, tried to arrest him.

“I screamed throughout the hotel and ran to my colleagues. The men followed me and insisted they only wanted to question me,” Mwangi said.

Mwangi further claims that he was taken to the immigration offices, where officials fingerprinted him, photographed him, and demanded to see his phone.

He claims three lawyers from the Tanganyika Law Society arrived to offer legal support but were eventually blocked from accessing him.

Around 6 pm, Kenya’s Ambassador to Tanzania, Isaac Njenga, told Mwangi that he was set to be deported, he said.

“Shortly after, a man claiming to be from the state office began beating me in front of the lawyers and Agatha. He called me an enemy of the state and said they would teach me a lesson,” Mwangi recounted.

Mwangi's allegations have intensified scrutiny of Tanzania's administration, which has faced criticism for increasing political repression.

Despite earlier promises to uphold human rights, recent actions—including the detention of opposition figures and foreign activists—have raised concerns among international observers. President Hassan has publicly warned foreign activists against interfering in Tanzania's internal affairs.

The Tanzanian government has not issued a statement regarding Mwangi's claims.

Meanwhile, human rights organisations are calling for an independent investigation into the alleged abuses.

Mwangi, currently receiving medical attention in Nairobi, continues to advocate for justice and accountability in the face of these serious allegations.