Kenya Formally Demands Boniface Mwangi's Release, Calls for Consular Access

X
A protest was organised in Nairobi to call for the release of Mwangi and Atuhaire, who'd planned to attend the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
22 May 2025
Capital FM (Nairobi)
By Davis Ayega

Nairobi — The Kenyan government has formally protested the continued detention of activist Boniface Mwangi by Tanzanian authorities, demanding immediate consular access or his release.

The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, in a diplomatic note dated May 21, 2025, expressed "deep concern" over the arrest and continued holding of Mwangi, noting that Kenyan officials have been denied access to him and have not received any information about his condition or the reasons for his detention.

Mwangi was arrested on Monday in Dar es Salaam under unclear circumstances.

Despite claims by Tanzanian authorities that he was released and repatriated, his whereabouts remain unknown.

Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

Kenya's Foreign Affairs Ministry cited the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963), reminding Tanzania of its obligations to allow consular communication and access to detained nationals.

"Consular officers shall be free to communicate with nationals of the sending State and to have access to them," and further, "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."

It emphasized that Article 36 guarantees the right of consular officers to visit, communicate with, and arrange legal representation for detained citizens.

The Ministry urged the Tanzanian government to "expeditiously and without delay facilitate consular access to or release of Mwangi, in accordance with international legal obligations and diplomatic norms."

Kenya also reaffirmed its commitment to strong bilateral relations, saying it "expresses the hope that this matter will be resolved swiftly and amicably, in the spirit of regional cooperation and mutual respect."

The diplomatic note was addressed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation of Tanzania as pressure mounts for clarity on Mwangi's status.

The Ministry's statement comes amid growing criticism from leaders and regional activists over the conduct of Tanzanian authorities, who recently deported Kenyan activist and former Chief Justice Martha Karua.

Karua and the activists had traveled to Tanzania to observe the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, a vocal critic of President Samia Suluhu, who has been barred from contesting in the October 2025 elections.

President Suluhu, adopting a defiant stance, declared she will not allow foreign activists to "jeopardize the peace and stability" of Tanzania, a position some observers argue undermines East African Community (EAC) integration efforts between Kenya and Tanzania.

Read the original article on Capital FM.

Tagged:
Copyright © 2025 Capital FM. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 400 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.