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TimesLIVE
23-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Tanzania releases Ugandan activist at border, Kenyan colleague alleges torture
Tanzania has released the second of two foreign activists who had come to support an opposition leader charged with treason, her organisation said on Friday, after a Kenyan fellow activist said they had both been badly tortured. Ugandan lawyer and activist Agather Atuhaire, who had been in custody since Monday, was abandoned at the border between Tanzania and Uganda, Agora Centre for Research, the Uganda-based rights group that she leads, posted on X. 'We are relieved to inform the public that (Agather) has been found,' it said. On Thursday, Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi, who was also detained after arriving in Dar es Salaam to attend the first court appearance of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, had been dumped on the Kenyan border. In a post on X, he said the last time he had been held together with Atuhaire was on Tuesday, when he had heard her groaning in pain after being tortured. Reuters could not reach Atuhaire directly. 'Our (torturers) were acting on orders from a 'state security' employee who came to immigration offices and followed us to Central police station and ordered we should be taken to a secret location to be given a 'Tanzanian treatment',' Mwangi said. Tanzanian officials had not commented on Atuhaire and Mwangi's detentions specifically, but President Samia Suluhu Hassan warned foreign activists in public comments on Monday against 'invading and interfering in our affairs'. Lissu, who came second in Tanzania's last presidential poll, was arrested last month and charged with treason over what prosecutors said was a speech calling on the public to rebel and disrupt elections due in October. The case has highlighted a crackdown on opponents of Hassan, whose party has nominated her to stand again. She won plaudits after coming to power in 2021 for easing the political repression that had proliferated under her predecessor, but has faced mounting criticism over a series of arrests and unexplained abductions and killings of political opponents. Hassan has said the government is committed to respecting human rights, and ordered an investigation into reported abductions last year. Spokespeople for Tanzania's government, police force and immigration service did not respond to repeated requests for comment about Mwangi's allegations of torture.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tanzania releases Ugandan activist at border, Kenyan colleague alleges torture
KAMPALA (Reuters) -Tanzania has released the second of two foreign activists who had come to support an opposition leader charged with treason, her organisation said on Friday, after a Kenyan fellow activist said they had both been badly tortured. Ugandan lawyer and activist Agather Atuhaire, who had been in custody since Monday, was abandoned at the border between Tanzania and Uganda, Agora Centre for Research, the Uganda-based rights group that she leads, posted on X. "We are relieved to inform the public that (Agather) has been found," it said. On Thursday, Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi, who was also detained after arriving in Dar es Salaam to attend the first court appearance of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, had been dumped on the Kenyan border. In a post on X, he said the last time he had been held together with Atuhaire was on Tuesday, when he had heard her groaning in pain after being tortured. Reuters could not reach Atuhaire directly. "Our (torturers) were acting on orders from a 'state security' employee who came to Immigration offices and followed us to Central Police Station and ordered we should be taken to a secret location to be given a 'Tanzanian treatment'," Mwangi said. Tanzanian officials had not commented on Atuhaire and Mwangi's detentions specifically, but President Samia Suluhu Hassan warned foreign activists in public comments on Monday against "invading and interfering in our affairs". Lissu, who came second in Tanzania's last presidential poll, was arrested last month and charged with treason over what prosecutors said was a speech calling on the public to rebel and disrupt elections due in October. The case has highlighted a growing crackdown on opponents of Hassan, whose party has nominated her to stand again. She won plaudits after coming to power in 2021 for easing the political repression that had proliferated under her predecessor, but has faced mounting criticism over a series of arrests and unexplained abductions and killings of political opponents. Hassan has said the government is committed to respecting human rights, and ordered an investigation into reported abductions last year. Spokespeople for Tanzania's government, police force and immigration service did not respond to repeated requests for comment about Mwangi's allegations of torture.
Straits Times
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Tanzania releases Ugandan activist at border, Kenyan colleague alleges torture
FILE PHOTO: Kenyan social-political activist Boniface Mwangi speaks during a Reuters interview before the screening of the Kenyan documentary 'Softie' at the Prestige Cinema in Nairobi, Kenya October 16, 2020. Picture taken October 16, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya/File Photo KAMPALA - Tanzania has released the second of two foreign activists who had come to support an opposition leader charged with treason, her organisation said on Friday, after a Kenyan fellow activist said they had both been badly tortured. Ugandan lawyer and activist Agather Atuhaire, who had been in custody since Monday, was abandoned at the border between Tanzania and Uganda, Agora Centre for Research, the Uganda-based rights group that she leads, posted on X. "We are relieved to inform the public that (Agather) has been found," it said. On Thursday, Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi, who was also detained after arriving in Dar es Salaam to attend the first court appearance of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, had been dumped on the Kenyan border. In a post on X, he said the last time he had been held together with Atuhaire was on Tuesday, when he had heard her groaning in pain after being tortured. Reuters could not reach Atuhaire directly. "Our (torturers) were acting on orders from a 'state security' employee who came to Immigration offices and followed us to Central Police Station and ordered we should be taken to a secret location to be given a 'Tanzanian treatment'," Mwangi said. Tanzanian officials had not commented on Atuhaire and Mwangi's detentions specifically, but President Samia Suluhu Hassan warned foreign activists in public comments on Monday against "invading and interfering in our affairs". Lissu, who came second in Tanzania's last presidential poll, was arrested last month and charged with treason over what prosecutors said was a speech calling on the public to rebel and disrupt elections due in October. The case has highlighted a growing crackdown on opponents of Hassan, whose party has nominated her to stand again. She won plaudits after coming to power in 2021 for easing the political repression that had proliferated under her predecessor, but has faced mounting criticism over a series of arrests and unexplained abductions and killings of political opponents. Hassan has said the government is committed to respecting human rights, and ordered an investigation into reported abductions last year. Spokespeople for Tanzania's government, police force and immigration service did not respond to repeated requests for comment about Mwangi's allegations of torture. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Tanzania releases Ugandan activist at border, Kenyan colleague alleges torture
FILE PHOTO: Kenyan social-political activist Boniface Mwangi speaks during a Reuters interview before the screening of the Kenyan documentary 'Softie' at the Prestige Cinema in Nairobi, Kenya October 16, 2020. Picture taken October 16, 2020. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya/File Photo KAMPALA (Reuters) -Tanzania has released the second of two foreign activists who had come to support an opposition leader charged with treason, her organisation said on Friday, after a Kenyan fellow activist said they had both been badly tortured. Ugandan lawyer and activist Agather Atuhaire, who had been in custody since Monday, was abandoned at the border between Tanzania and Uganda, Agora Centre for Research, the Uganda-based rights group that she leads, posted on X. "We are relieved to inform the public that (Agather) has been found," it said. On Thursday, Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi, who was also detained after arriving in Dar es Salaam to attend the first court appearance of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, had been dumped on the Kenyan border. In a post on X, he said the last time he had been held together with Atuhaire was on Tuesday, when he had heard her groaning in pain after being tortured. Reuters could not reach Atuhaire directly. "Our (torturers) were acting on orders from a 'state security' employee who came to Immigration offices and followed us to Central Police Station and ordered we should be taken to a secret location to be given a 'Tanzanian treatment'," Mwangi said. Tanzanian officials had not commented on Atuhaire and Mwangi's detentions specifically, but President Samia Suluhu Hassan warned foreign activists in public comments on Monday against "invading and interfering in our affairs". Lissu, who came second in Tanzania's last presidential poll, was arrested last month and charged with treason over what prosecutors said was a speech calling on the public to rebel and disrupt elections due in October. The case has highlighted a growing crackdown on opponents of Hassan, whose party has nominated her to stand again. She won plaudits after coming to power in 2021 for easing the political repression that had proliferated under her predecessor, but has faced mounting criticism over a series of arrests and unexplained abductions and killings of political opponents. Hassan has said the government is committed to respecting human rights, and ordered an investigation into reported abductions last year. Spokespeople for Tanzania's government, police force and immigration service did not respond to repeated requests for comment about Mwangi's allegations of torture. (Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Aaron Ross, Hereward Holland and Kevin Liffey)
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ugandan lawmakers pass bill to try civilians before military courts, defying concern and criticism
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Ugandan lawmakers on Tuesday passed a government-backed bill to authorize civilian trials in military courts, defying widespread criticism by opposition figures and others who called it a backward gesture. The contentious legislation was introduced earlier this year after the Supreme Court ruled that civilians can't be court-martialed, questioning the competence of untrained military officers to dispense justice. The bill states that civilians can be court-martialed if their alleged offenses are 'in support of or in association with persons subject to military law.' It also says that presiding officers must be qualified in law. But opposition figures, rights activists and others insist such legislation is an anti-democratic effort as the east African country heads into elections scheduled for 2026. They say the bill is a danger to everyone who opposes President Yoweri Museveni, an authoritarian leader who has held power in the east African country since 1986. Some members of the opposition walked out of the parliamentary chamber before the bill was passed, protesting what they said was an illegality. The legislation is an attempt to 'unconstitutionally grant judicial powers reserved for superior courts to subordinate military courts that have specialized jurisdiction to handle only military disciplinary offenses,' the Uganda-based rights group Chapter Four said in a statement. Museveni is expected to sign the bill within days. The president and his son, army commander Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, had condemned the Supreme Court's decision to effectively disband court-martials. Days after that ruling, government officials launched the process of introducing legislation to keep military courts active. Museveni said in a statement following the court's decision that 'the country is not governed by the judges.' He is expected to run again in polls set for January 2026. Many Ugandans expect an unpredictable political transition because the 80-year-old Museveni has no obvious successor within the ranks of the ruling National Resistance Movement party. Some observers fear that in future he may step aside in favor of Kainerugaba in a bloodless coup. Kainerugaba has asserted his wish to succeed his father as president. A long-time opposition leader, Kizza Besigye, has been jailed since November over alleged treason charges his lawyers say are politically motivated. Besigye, a qualified physician who retired from Uganda's military at the rank of colonel, is a former president of the Forum for Democratic Change party, for many years Uganda's most prominent opposition group. Uganda has never witnessed a peaceful transfer of political power since independence from the British in 1962. ____ Follow AP's Africa coverage at: Rodney Muhumuza, The Associated Press
