DAR ES SALAAM, TANANIA — Dar es Salaam’s Special Police Zone Commander, Jumanne Muliro, has unequivocally rejected claims by Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and his Ugandan counterpart Agather Atuhaire, who allege they were tortured by Tanzanian police following their detention by immigration officials.
Muliro maintained that the activists should have reported any alleged abuse through established official channels, characterizing their assertions as merely personal opinions.
“Hayo ni maoni yao, ni mtazamo wao. Kama wanachosema ni hivyo basi waofficiate kwenye mamlaka ya kuzungumza. Yaani mimi naiona ni kama ni mtazamo, ni maoni tu. Wangekuwepo mimi ningehojiana nao,” Muliro stated.
He emphasized that the activists should have engaged directly with Tanzanian officials to address their grievances instead of releasing a press statement detailing disturbing accounts of alleged mistreatment by Tanzanian authorities.
“Nilitamani kama ni yeye ndiye angekuwa akiongea na mimi ili niulize vitu vingi, niwape nafasi nzuri ya kujua anaongea kitu gani. Unaongea kitu kwa niaba ya mtu ambaye baadhi ya maswali ningependa kumwuuliza yeye. Wewe nikikuuliza huwezi kujibu,” Muliro added.
This official stance from the Tanzanian police, perceived as dismissive of the concerns raised by the two activists, has sparked renewed apprehension regarding the delicate diplomatic relations between Kenya and Tanzania.
Meanwhile, Faith Odhiambo, president of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), has refuted recent reports circulating online that activist Boniface Mwangi has been abducted again.
These allegations, which quickly gained traction on social media platform X under the hashtag #BonifaceAbductedAgain, claimed that the activist had been taken from his residence in Lukenya.
In a statement released on Wednesday 4, June 2025 via X, the LSK President urged Kenyans to disregard the deceptive online campaign.
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“Our attention has been drawn to a series of false statements and deep fakes allegedly concerning the abduction of Boniface Mwangi,” Odhiambo stated. She further advised, “We urge members of the public to disregard this fake online campaign and disregard all attempts at misdirection and misinformation.”
Social Media ban sparks further debate
In a related development, Tanzania’s Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Jerry Silaa, defended the government’s decision to block the social media platform X.
He asserted that the ban is intended to protect Tanzanians from harmful and explicit online content.
“Content that violates Section 16 of the Online Content Regulations is being removed to protect Tanzanians,” said Silaa.
However, digital rights advocates have sharply criticized the ban, cautioning that it infringes upon freedom of expression and restricts access to crucial information.
