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Human rights organizations are calling on Kenyan and Ugandan lawmakers to hold their governments—and Tanzania—accountable for the torture of two activists, Boniface Mwangi from Kenya and Agather Atuhaire from Uganda, while in Tanzania.
The groups say the Tanzanian government must answer for the pain and trauma the two went through. They are demanding not only justice but also compensation for both activists.
These calls for accountability came shortly after Mwangi and Atuhaire publicly shared the abuse they suffered at the hands of Tanzanian authorities. Their stories were emotional and disturbing, exposing how they were allegedly mistreated simply for their activism.
Now, human rights groups want to make sure these incidents are not forgotten. They are pushing for action both within their countries and across the East African region. Their aim is to ensure justice is served and such abuses do not continue.
Faith Odhiambo, the President of the Law Society of Kenya, said they are considering several options, including seeking justice through the East African Community (EAC). “We hope that through the intervention of other governments in the region and a petition to the EAC Parliament, the officers who violated the rights of Boniface and Agather will be held accountable,” she said.
Amnesty International’s Executive Director, Houghton Irungu, added that Kenya and Uganda must also explain their roles. He suggested a private member’s bill could push the foreign affairs ministries of both countries to publicly share what actions they took to protect Mwangi and Atuhaire—and what they plan to do next.
“We are not saying they are guilty,” he said, “but they must tell their national assemblies what they did to keep these activists safe, and what steps they will take in response to these human rights violations.”
According to the rights groups, the first step should be arresting the officers identified by Mwangi and Atuhaire as being behind their torture. They also want the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) to hold a public hearing on the matter.
In addition, they are calling for compensation to be paid to the two victims.
But the concern goes beyond just these two cases. The groups are warning that there appears to be a disturbing trend among East African countries where governments work together to silence critical voices. They pointed to the arrests of Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi and Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye in Nairobi as further examples of this troubling behavior.
Eric Mokaya, Executive Director of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), said, “We’re seeing signs that these countries are cooperating to suppress dissent. Even in Kenya, there are laws being used to silence activists.”
Kenya’s government has also come under criticism for not speaking out about the torture of its own citizen, Boniface Mwangi. Activists say the government’s silence is unacceptable and raises questions about its commitment to protecting its people abroad.
Meanwhile, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu is being warned against creating a climate of fear ahead of the country’s presidential election later this year. Human rights groups say efforts to silence political opponents through intimidation and abuse must stop.
In conclusion, human rights groups across the region are urging all three governments—Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania—to respect and protect the rights of their citizens, no matter where they are. They say this is not just about Mwangi and Atuhaire, but about ensuring no one else suffers the same fate for speaking out.