By A Ugandan human rights lawyer has announced plans to pursue legal action against the government of Tanzania following the controversial arrest and deportation of Ugandan and Kenyan activists, including renowned journalist Agather Atuhaire and Kenyan photojournalist Boniface Mwangi.
Mr. Kato Tumusiime, who was part of a 20-member solidarity delegation from Uganda and Kenya, revealed that discussions are underway to file legal proceedings against Tanzanian authorities for what he described as “gross human rights violations” and breaches of international law.
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“This is not just a political incident it is a legal matter. What the Tanzanian government did violates both the East African Community Treaty and global human rights instruments,” Tumusiime said.
The group had traveled to Dar es Salaam to attend a court session in support of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu on May 19, 2025. Shortly after returning to the Serena Hotel from court, plainclothes operatives reportedly stormed the group’s lunch meeting and demanded the arrest of one of the participants.
“We asked why they were arresting our colleague, and their response was fury and intimidation,” Tumusiime recalled. While the actual arrest inside the hotel was not physically violent, he described what followed as “a clear case of torture, mistreatment, and illegal deportation.”
At least 11 individuals from the delegation were deported. Atuhaire was dropped at the Uganda-Tanzania border, while Mwangi was released at the Kenyan border. Neither individual was formally charged with any offence.
Tumusiime says the legal case will seek accountability from Tanzania’s government not only for violating the rights of East African citizens, but also for undermining regional legal frameworks that guarantee free movement and protection of civil liberties.
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“We are demanding a formal apology, but more importantly, we will be taking legal steps to challenge this injustice in the appropriate forums,” he said.
The Tanzanian government has remained tight-lipped, although President Samia Suluhu Hassan recently made remarks warning against foreign interference in domestic political affairs a statement widely interpreted as justifying the crackdown on foreign activists.
Human rights organizations across East Africa have rallied in support of the activists and are expected to back the impending legal action.
