‘I was tortured very badly,’ Kenyan activist recounts his four-day ordeal in Tanzania

By Winnie Atieno, NAIROBI Kenya

Kenyan human rights activist, Boniface Mwangi has said he was tortured when he was detained by Tanzanian authorities.

Mwangi, who travelled to the neighbouring country for the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, said he was detained for four days where he was subjected to torture. 

"I am happy to be back home after four dark days. I was tortured very badly; I can barely walk but I am very concerned about Agatha Atuhaire (Ugandan activist) because we were tortured together and they did very horrible things to us...I hope she's safe. I am praying for her." He said while being ferried on a wheelchair at the Moi International Airport, Mombasa. 

Mwangi thanked Kenyans for standing with him in solidarity, asserting that "it was bad". 

His wife, Njeri Mwangi, urged journalists to allow her husband to be airlifted to Nairobi to seek medical attention. 

"No questions...Please, no. He has already said he was tortured. I know this is important and you want a lot of information, but I beg you to please let him go home. He needs medical attention...he has told you himself he was wounded; they tortured him. Allow him to go home." said Njeri while thanking Kenyans for the support. 

She said her husband was separated from Atuhaire and he was dumped in Horohoro along the Kenya-Tanzania border. 

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"He was dropped off at the border post and he found his way to Lunga Lunga and got transport, and I called Muslim for Human Rights activist Khelef Khalifa who picked him up." said Njeri. 

Khalifa said that when he picked up Mwangi in Lunga Lunga, he could not walk. 

"He was badly beaten on his legs; he could barely walk. Torture is against the law. Can Tanzania tell us why they detained him? This is a violation of human rights. We blame our Kenyan government led by Mudavadi for deceiving Kenyans about this matter." He said. 

Musalia Mudavadi is the Prime Cabinet Secretary who also serves as the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs CS. 

Vocal Africa chief executive officer Hussein Khalid condemned the Tanzanian government for the torture inflicted upon the Kenyan citizen. 

"They were brutal, and we will not take this thing lightly. If the Kenyan government is complicit, we will involve the international community to seek redress." He said.