NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenyan-American philanthropist Mwangi Mukami has criticized Tanzanian authorities over the alleged detention, mistreatment, and sexual assault of East African civil rights activists Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire, describing the reported abuse as a grave violation of human dignity and a test of regional leadership.
In a public statement, Mukami—founder of the MLIFE Foundation and a respected advocate for social justice—called for an immediate, independent, and transparent investigation into the claims, which have sparked widespread concern in Kenya, Uganda, and beyond.
“Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan was swift to reject foreign interference,” Mukami said. “But the silence from her administration on serious human rights abuses is deafening. These allegations, if true, occurred under her watch—and demand accountability at the highest level.”
Mwangi and Atuhaire, both prominent figures in civic activism, alleged they were detained and harassed by Tanzanian state agents while in the country for a civil society event.
Atuhaire, a Ugandan journalist and legal activist, said she was sexually assaulted during the ordeal—a claim that has triggered outrage from rights defenders and women’s groups across East Africa.
Mukami warned against the rise of disinformation and victim-blaming surrounding the incident, urging the public and authorities to reject harmful narratives that deflect from the core issue—abuse of power.
“No one needs to be ‘sent’ to stand for justice,” he said. “Standing in solidarity with victims of oppression is not a foreign plot—it’s a moral obligation.”
He also dismissed attempts to discredit advocacy work based on its funding, saying civic activism, like politics or business, requires resources and institutional support.
“There is no shame in being supported to defend human rights,” he said. “Advocacy is work—demanding, dangerous, and necessary. To suggest that financial support compromises its integrity is both false and cynical.”
Mukami emphasized the importance of believing survivors of sexual violence, calling disbelief and silence by officials “not signs of caution, but signs of complicity.”
Turning his attention to Nairobi, Mukami challenged the Kenyan government to treat the incident with the urgency it reserves for high-profile political cases.
“Every Kenyan deserves protection and justice—not just the powerful,” he said. “President Ruto’s administration must show that the rights of ordinary citizens matter as much as those of the elite.”
Civil society groups in the region have demanded answers, while legal experts warn that failure to address the claims risks further erosion of civic space in East Africa.
