NAIROBI, Kenya —Tanzanian activist and media editor Maria Sarungi Tsehai has detailed the terrifying experience of her abduction in Nairobi’s Kilimani neighborhood on Sunday afternoon.
The vocal critic of the Tanzanian government was seized by three armed, hooded men, only to be released later that evening following widespread public pressure and intervention by human rights organizations.
During a media briefing on Monday, Tsehai described the incident, which began as she left home for a hair salon on Chaka Place.
She grew suspicious when a masked woman entered the salon hurriedly. On her way out, waiting for a taxi, her suspicions turned into a nightmare.
“A black Toyota Noah van pulled up, blocking my ride,” Tsehai narrated. “Two men got out and started yelling at the driver. I told him not to open the door, but they forced it open and started dragging me out.”
Despite her resistance—kicking, screaming, and pleading—the abductors overpowered her.
“They managed to lift me, and one of them tried to cover my face with a cloth. They said I wouldn’t be able to breathe,” Tsehai recalled.
I was abducted by four people… the person on my right was choking me and holding me all the time ~ Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai.
The men, armed and demanding her phone PIN, handcuffed Tsehai and drove off at high speed.
She overheard them mention “bunduki” (gun), confirming their weaponry.
They confiscated her phone and repeatedly demanded the unlock code, which she refused to give.
Throughout the ordeal, Tsehai pleaded with her captors to take her to a police station, but her requests were ignored.
The van made several stops, with one of the men stepping out repeatedly. Eventually, they decided to release her.
“They gave me back my bag but kept my phones. They left me in a dark place on a rough road,” she recounted.
Stranded, Tsehai walked to a main road, where she sought help and managed to contact her husband using a laptop upon reaching home.
Tsehai believes the abduction was a direct attack on her activism and criticism of the Tanzanian government.
“This incident is targeting what I do for Tanzania. If this was meant to intimidate me, I will not stop. I will not relent,” she declared.
Her husband, David, expressed the distress the family endured, blaming the Tanzanian government for the ordeal.
“This has been the worst experience of my life. I didn’t know if she was alive or dead,” he said.
The abduction has sparked outrage, with human rights organizations like Amnesty International Kenya and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) condemning the act.
LSK President Faith Odhiambo labeled the incident as “unfortunate” and vowed to seek answers from relevant authorities.
Despite the harrowing experience, Tsehai remains steadfast in her commitment to advocating for democracy and human rights in Tanzania.
“I am not doing anything illegal. I am asking for basic human rights,” she reiterated.
Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai narrated how she was held captive by four individuals following her abduction. She recalled being choked and restrained by one individual who never left her side. Maria suspects the front passenger, who spoke to her in Swahili and even…
