Ugandan Activist Alleges Rape While in Tanzanian Detention

Ugandan journalist and human rights activist Agather Atuhaire has alleged she was raped while in detention in Tanzania, where she was held incommunicado for several days alongside Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi.

In an interview with the BBC, Atuhaire gave a harrowing account of her ordeal, claiming she was blindfolded, violently stripped, and sexually assaulted by individuals in plain clothes. Her rights group, Agora Centre for Research, had earlier reported that she showed signs of torture after being found abandoned near the Tanzania-Uganda border on Thursday night.

Atuhaire said the physical and psychological abuse left her with injuries, including a visible scar from being handcuffed. “The pain was too much,” she told the BBC, adding that her screams were so loud her captors were forced to cover her mouth.

She also reported hearing Mwangi screaming during their detention, and alleged that he was threatened with forced circumcision. Mwangi, who was later found near the Kenya-Tanzania border, confirmed their abuse in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “We had been tortured, and we were told to strip naked and to go bathe. We couldn’t walk and were told to crawl and go wash off the blood.”

The two activists had traveled to Tanzania to support opposition politician Tundu Lissu, who was in court facing treason charges. Although they were allowed into the country, they were not permitted to attend the court hearing and were later arrested.

Tanzanian authorities have not commented on the incident. However, the country’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan had warned earlier in the week that foreign activists would not be allowed to “meddle” in Tanzania’s internal affairs.

The allegations have sparked outrage and calls for accountability from regional and international bodies. The US State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs said it was “deeply concerned” by reports of mistreatment and noted that Atuhaire had been honored in 2024 as an International Women of Courage Awardee.

“We call for an immediate and full investigation into the allegations of human rights abuses,” the Bureau posted on social media. “We urge all countries in the region to hold to account those responsible for violating human rights, including torture.”

Kenya’s government also condemned the detention, lodging a formal protest and stating that Tanzanian authorities had denied consular access to Mwangi despite repeated requests.

Uganda’s High Commissioner to Tanzania, Fred Mwesigye, confirmed that Atuhaire had safely returned home and was reunited with her family.

Human rights groups across East Africa have echoed demands for a thorough investigation and called on all nations in the region to uphold international human rights treaties.