People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua praised activist Boniface Mwangi on X on Monday, June 2, 2025, for his bravery following his recent detention and torture while in Tanzania.
Karua described his testimony as the bravest thing to do in exposing human rights violations. She argued that had Boniface Mwangi remained silent, the violators would continue meting out such injustices to other people.
Karua also hailed Ugandan Agather Atuhaire for speaking out.
“Agather Atuhaire and Boniface Mwangi, this is the bravest thing you have ever done in defence of human rights; the violators thrive in silence. Thanks for speaking out . It’s the beginning of the end for the violators,” Karua stated.
Harrowing testimony
The post from Martha Karua came just hours after activists Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire publicly recounted their harrowing experience in Tanzanian custody during a press briefing in Nairobi on Monday, June 2, 2025.
Speaking through tears, 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. Four men lifted me and tied me upside down. They started beating my feet. I screamed, but there were no tears. One guy said ‘weka moto.’
They put lubricant in my rectum and started inserting objects,” he recounted.
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.
Karua also applauded Atuhaire for her bravery and extended heartfelt support to Mwangi’s wife, Njeri Mwangi, who stood strong throughout the ordeal.
“May your defense of humanists and the sacrifices you and your children make bear fruit,” she wrote.
A growing outcry
Karua condemned the Tanzanian police and President Samia Suluhu, whom she appeared to hold accountable for the abuse.
“It’s the beginning of the end for the violators @tanpol @suluhusamia” Karua wrote
Mwangi, known for his regional solidarity with activists, said he felt abandoned by Kenyan authorities during his detention. He thanked the public for speaking out.
“I have gone through four dark days. I have been tortured badly. I can barely walk,” he said after returning home.
Karua’s public statement has drawn widespread praise, with many calling it a strong show of political solidarity for victims of state repression in the region.
