Tanzania Frees Kenyan Activist Mwangi Amid Political Crackdown

Kenyan photojournalist and activist Boniface Mwangi was detained and reportedly tortured by Tanzanian authorities after attempting to attend the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu in Dar es Salaam. Mwangi, along with Ugandan lawyer Agather Atuhaire who remains missing, was arrested on allegations of providing false information to enter Tanzania. The treason charge against Lissu, who is seeking election reforms ahead of October polls, has been widely criticized as politically motivated. Following international pressure, including demands from Kenya's foreign ministry and human rights organizations, Mwangi was released and deported, being abandoned near the Kenyan border where he was received for medical care. Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has publicly warned against foreign activists interfering in the country’s affairs while claiming commitment to human rights despite the crackdown on political opponents. The incident has strained relations between Kenya and Tanzania and sparked outrage among Kenyan youth, with fears growing over the fate of other detained activists.