Ugandan lawyer, journalist, and human rights activist Agather Atuhaire has been freed after spending several days in detention in Tanzania, following her arrest alongside Kenyan photojournalist and activist Boniface Mwangi.
The two were apprehended in Dar es Salaam while attending the trial of prominent Tanzanian opposition figure Tundu Lissu, a move that has stirred concern across East Africa and beyond.
Agather Atuhaire, who serves as Executive Team Leader at the Agora Centre for Research—a digital platform promoting human rights, public accountability, and social justice—was reportedly detained at the Central Police Station in Dar es Salaam after Tanzanian authorities questioned their presence.
The circumstances surrounding their arrest have drawn sharp criticism and attention to the ongoing challenges faced by activists in the region. Boniface Mwangi, who was released earlier, described enduring severe torture while in custody.
Upon being deported by Tanzanian authorities to Ukunda, a coastal town south of Mombasa in Kenya, Mwangi revealed the physical and psychological toll the detention took on him.
“I have gone through four dark days. I have been tortured very badly and can barely walk,” he told journalists.
Expressing deep concern for Atuhaire’s safety, Mwangi said, “We were tortured together, and what they did to us was horrible.”
Tanzanian authorities had reportedly informed Ugandan diplomats that both activists would be deported, but for several days, Atuhaire’s whereabouts remained unknown.
The lack of clear information sparked a diplomatic stir, with Uganda’s High Commissioner to Tanzania, Col (Rtd) Fred Mwesigye, formally requesting access to Atuhaire and demanding clarity on her detention conditions. In a letter to Tanzanian police, Mwesigye wrote:
“Ms. Agather reportedly came to Tanzania on various engagements but was later arrested and detained at your facility. We request permission to visit and speak with her to ascertain the possibility of her release and safe return to Uganda.”
Simultaneously, Kenya’s Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi pressured Tanzanian authorities to allow their diplomats access to Mwangi, who had not been seen since his arrest. The incident heightened diplomatic tensions and increased public scrutiny over the treatment of activists in East Africa.
In a statement issued on May 23, Agora Discourse confirmed Atuhaire’s release and that she had been abandoned at the Tanzanian-Uganda border.
“We are relieved to inform the public that Agather Atuhaire has been found. She was abandoned at the border by Tanzanian authorities. Further details will be shared later today. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who stood in solidarity during this time. Your efforts truly made a difference,” the statement read.
The arrests of Atuhaire and Mwangi have sparked widespread concern on social media platforms, especially X (formerly Twitter), where activists and supporters condemned the ongoing harassment, intimidation, and arrest of civic leaders in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.
Ugandan State Minister for International Relations Okello Oryem appealed for calm, urging the public to allow diplomatic efforts to proceed without escalating tensions.
“The embassy is actively following up on the matter. Instead of turning this into a media circus, diplomacy should be given a chance to work. Ms. Atuhaire went there willingly for engagements, and the issue can be resolved peacefully,” he said.
Agather Atuhaire is a distinguished lawyer and journalist with over 11 years of experience. Her work focuses on parliamentary processes, multi-party democracy, governance, and accountability, with contributions to outlets such as The Independent magazine, Daily Monitor, Uganda Radio Network, BBC, and National Geographic.
She is a familiar face on Ugandan television, regularly hosting and participating in talk shows that address governance and social justice. Her advocacy and journalism have made her a leading figure in the fight for civic space and social justice in Uganda.
“Ms. Agather reportedly came to Tanzania on various engagements but was later arrested and detained at your facility. We request permission to visit and speak with her to ascertain the possibility of her release and safe return to Uganda.”
Simultaneously, Kenya’s Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi pressured Tanzanian authorities to allow their diplomats access to Mwangi, who had not been seen since his arrest. The incident heightened diplomatic tensions and increased public scrutiny over the treatment of activists in East Africa.
In a statement issued on May 23, Agora Discourse confirmed Atuhaire’s release and that she had been abandoned at the Tanzanian-Uganda border.
“We are relieved to inform the public that Agather Atuhaire has been found. She was abandoned at the border by Tanzanian authorities. Further details will be shared later today. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who stood in solidarity during this time. Your efforts truly made a difference,” the statement read.
The arrests of Atuhaire and Mwangi have sparked widespread concern on social media platforms, especially X (formerly Twitter), where activists and supporters condemned the ongoing harassment, intimidation, and arrest of civic leaders in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.
Ugandan State Minister for International Relations Okello Oryem appealed for calm, urging the public to allow diplomatic efforts to proceed without escalating tensions.
“The embassy is actively following up on the matter. Instead of turning this into a media circus, diplomacy should be given a chance to work. Ms. Atuhaire went there willingly for engagements, and the issue can be resolved peacefully,” he said.
Agather Atuhaire is a distinguished lawyer and journalist with over 11 years of experience. Her work focuses on parliamentary processes, multi-party democracy, governance, and accountability, with contributions to outlets such as The Independent magazine, Daily Monitor, Uganda Radio Network, BBC, and National Geographic.
She is a familiar face on Ugandan television, regularly hosting and participating in talk shows that address governance and social justice. Her advocacy and journalism have made her a leading figure in the fight for civic space and social justice in Uganda.
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