Tanzania Denies Kenya Access to Detained Activist Boniface Mwangi

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 21, 2025 — Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has formally demanded that Tanzania facilitate consular access to detained activist Boniface Mwangi, citing violations of international law after Kenyan officials were repeatedly denied access to their citizen.

In an official diplomatic note issued Tuesday, the ministry expressed “deep concern” over Mwangi’s detention and invoked the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, demanding Tanzania comply with international legal obligations “expeditiously and without delay.”

“Despite several requests, officials of the Government of Kenya have been denied consular access and information to Mr. Mwangi,” the ministry stated in the formal communication to Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.

“The Ministry is also concerned about his health, overall wellbeing and the absence of information regarding his detention.”

Mwangi, a prominent human rights advocate and vocal government critic, was arrested on May 19 in Dar es Salaam while attending the treason trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu.

While other activists including former Kenyan Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and Ugandan lawyer Agather Atuhaire were subsequently deported, Mwangi remains in Tanzanian custody.

The diplomatic note specifically references Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963), to which both Kenya and Tanzania are signatories.

The convention guarantees consular officers the right to communicate with and visit nationals who are detained in foreign countries, and to arrange for their legal representation.

“Consular officers shall have the right to visit a national of the sending State who is in prison, custody or detention, to converse and correspond with him and to arrange for his legal representation,” the ministry quoted from the international treaty.

Kenya’s escalation to formal diplomatic channels represents a significant hardening of its position following initial attempts at quiet diplomacy.

The ministry had previously faced mounting public criticism for what many viewed as an inadequate response to Mwangi’s detention.

Earlier Thursday, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei had defended the government’s approach, stating on social media that “the Ministry’s obligation to a national who has been apprehended by a foreign country is limited and focused in the first instance on provision of consular assistance.”

However, the formal diplomatic protest reveals that Kenya has been unable to provide even basic consular services due to Tanzania’s refusal to grant access.

The detention has sparked widespread criticism, with former Chief Justice David Maraga describing Mwangi’s continued custody “without access to courts, legal counsel, or consular representation” as “a clear violation of international human rights law.”

Mwangi’s wife, Njeri, has been unable to reach her husband since his arrest at Dar es Salaam’s Serena Hotel. She told AFP she has been informed that Tanzanian authorities are deciding whether to charge or deport him.

The case highlights growing tensions over Tanzania’s treatment of opposition figures and foreign activists. President Samia Suluhu Hassan declared Monday that “foreign activists would not be allowed to interfere in the country’s affairs,” instructing security agencies to prevent such individuals from “crossing the line.”

In its diplomatic note, Kenya emphasized its commitment to “cordial bilateral relations” with Tanzania while demanding swift resolution of the matter “in the spirit of regional cooperation and mutual respect.”

The formal protest concludes with Kenya requesting “assurances of highest consideration” from Tanzania’s foreign ministry, diplomatic language that underscores the seriousness with which Nairobi now views the situation.

The diplomatic escalation comes as Tanzania faces increasing international scrutiny over its handling of opposition figures ahead of October 2025 elections. Boniface Mwangi has been a prominent voice in Kenyan civil society, frequently leading protests against government corruption and human rights abuses.