Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has appealed to Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, urging her to ensure justice for Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan journalist Agather Atuhaire.
The two activists were unlawfully detained, tortured, and assaulted while in Tanzanian custody in May 2025.
In a heartfelt message shared on her official X account on Tuesday, June 2, 2025, Passaris condemned the mistreatment of the two activists, describing it as a violation of their rights and a stain on the region’s collective conscience.
She further called upon Suluhu, not only as a head of state but also as a mother and champion for change, to ensure that such cruelty is never repeated and that justice is served.
“President @SuluhuSamia has broken many glass ceilings, and her leadership has inspired countless women across Africa. But no vision for progress can coexist with the abuse of power and the silencing of activists. I call on her, not just as a head of state but as a mother and a champion for change, to ensure that such atrocities are never repeated and that justice is served,” Passaris wrote.
“I stand in solidarity with @bonifacemwangi and @AgatherAtuhaire. Their unlawful arrest, inhumane treatment, and violent deportation from Tanzania are not just a violation of their rights; they are a stain on our region’s collective conscience. As a mother, a legislator, and a defender of human rights, I am deeply disturbed by the accounts of torture, sexual abuse, and humiliation they endured. These are not the values that define our continent, our leadership, or our future.”
In addition, Passaris expressed her wishes for healing, strength, and justice for the two activists, acknowledging their courage as a guiding light toward a freer, fairer, and more humane Africa.
“We pray for healing, strength, and justice for Boniface and Agather. May their courage continue to light the way toward a freer, fairer, and more humane Africa,” she added.
Harrowing experience
Passaris’s call for justice comes hours after Mwangi and Atuhaire publicly recounted their harrowing experience while in Tanzanian custody.
Speaking during a press briefing held in Nairobi on May 2, 2025, Mwangi revealed the graphic details of his abuse, stating that he was stripped naked, tied upside down, and severely beaten.
“They told me to strip naked, and when I did, I was grabbed by four men who lifted me so fast. When they lifted me up, they tied me upside down. They started beating my feet; I screamed, but no tears were coming out. One guy said, ‘weka moto (ignite fire). They put lubricant in my rectum and started inserting objects in my rectum,” he stated while breaking down into tears like a baby.
Atuhaire, a Ugandan journalist and lawyer, said she was assaulted after refusing to undress. “They hit me on the back and stripped me. I was violated,” she said.
The two had travelled to Tanzania to show solidarity with opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who is facing treason charges.
However, their visit was cut short when they were detained by Tanzanian authorities, held incommunicado, and later deported.
