By Ugandan Activist Alleges Rape in Tanzanian Detention
Dumped at Border after Alleged Violation
Summary
- Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire alleges she was raped and tortured while detained in Tanzania before being abandoned at the Uganda-Tanzania border.
- The abuse claims are supported by fellow activist Boniface Mwangi, who says both were subjected to inhumane treatment by Tanzanian state agents.
- Tanzanian authorities remain silent, prompting regional and international calls for an independent investigation and accountability ahead of Tanzania’s 2025 elections.
Ugandan human rights activist and journalist Agather Atuhaire has come forward with harrowing allegations of rape and torture while in Tanzanian custody, following her detention alongside Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi in Dar es Salaam.
The pair had traveled to Tanzania to show solidarity with opposition figure Tundu Lissu, whose treason trial has drawn regional concern.
Atuhaire, who was found abandoned at the Uganda-Tanzania border on May 22, 2025, alleges she was blindfolded, stripped, beaten, and sexually assaulted by individuals she believes were Tanzanian security operatives.
Speaking to the BBC and AFP, she described the brutal conditions of her detention, including being handcuffed to the point of injury, smeared with excrement, and unable to walk due to beatings. Her claims are supported by Mwangi, who said both were “treated worse than dogs” and chained, blindfolded, and forced to crawl after torture.
Mwangi further identified a Tanzanian officer, Faustin Mafwele, as the official who allegedly coordinated their arrest and threatened to have Atuhaire raped. The activist’s colleagues in Uganda confirmed she showed signs of physical abuse upon her return and is now receiving medical and psychological care in Kampala.
Atuhaire has vowed to seek justice, stating, “The need for justice supersedes any feeling of shame.”
Tanzanian authorities have remained silent on the allegations despite growing regional and international pressure. Rights groups across East Africa, along with the U.S. State Department, have condemned the alleged abuses and are calling for an independent investigation.
The incident has intensified scrutiny on Tanzania’s human rights record ahead of the October 2025 elections, with fears of a broader crackdown on dissent and opposition voices.
The allegations remain unverified by Tanzanian authorities.
