Statement by the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellows on the Arrest and Detention of Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire and dated 22nd May 2025
The Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellows (“Tutu Fellows”) represent civic, political, and business leaders from all across the African continent concerned with the governance and development of the African Continent. We strongly condemn the recent arrest and detention of Kenyan Activist and 2020 Tutu Fellow Boniface Mwangi and his colleague Agather Atuhaire by the Tanzanian authorities for expressing solidarity with imprisoned Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who is facing charges of treason.
As a Pan-African institution, we further condemn statements by President Samia Suluhu that Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire had no right to offer solidarity to a Tanzanian colleague.
In the words of our Patron, Archbishop Desmond Tutu:
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse, and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”
We further call on the words of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere:
“Unity will not make us rich, but it can make it difficult for Africa and the African peoples to be disregarded and humiliated. And it will, therefore, increase the effectiveness of the decisions we make and try to implement for our development. My generation led Africa to political freedom. The current generation of leaders and peoples of Africa must pick up the flickering torch of African freedom, refuel it with their enthusiasm and determination, and carry it forward.”
The Tanzanian Constitution protects ALL persons within the Tanzanian jurisdiction, including foreign nationals. Articles 18 and 20 of the Constitution on freedom of expression and assembly provide as follows:
Article 18 - Freedom of expression:
Every person –
(a) Has a freedom of opinion and expression of his ideas;
(b) Has out right to seek, receive and, or disseminate information regardless of national boundaries;
(c) Has a freedom to communicate and a freedom with protection from interference from his communication;
Article 20 – Person’s freedom of association:
(1) Every person has a freedom, to freely and peaceably assemble, associate and cooperate with other persons, and for that purpose, express views publicly and to form and join with associations or organizations formed for purposes of preserving or furthering his beliefs or interests or any other interests.
We therefore call on the Tanzanian government to do the following:
- Enforce the constitutional right to freedom of expression and assembly as guaranteed by Articles 18 and 20 of the Tanzanian Constitution
- End the weaponization of the law against dissenting voices in Tanzania
- Ensure that all citizens have access to the constitutional right to equal protection under the law and to desist from selective application of the law
Statement issued by the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellows on 22 May 2025
UPDATE:
News sites are reporting that Boniface was released after three days in detention, after being deported from Tanzania. According to the reports, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) said he was to be transferred to Nairobi for medical treatment. His lawyer, James Kamau, said Boniface was in a weakened condition and had had difficulty walking due to injuries allegedly sustained during his detention.
Report