Ugandan journalist and human rights activist Agather Atuhaire was released late Thursday night by Tanzanian authorities and abandoned at the Mutukula border crossing, in what rights groups are condemning as a grave violation of international human rights norms.
Atuhaire, visibly shaken, recounted harrowing details of torture during her detention. “When I arrived, the first order was to take off my clothes. Someone hit me on the back, another violently stripped me, threw me down, and handcuffed me,” she said. “They beat the soles of my feet mercilessly and gagged my mouth when I screamed. The volume in the vehicle was turned up to drown out the sounds of torture.”
She further revealed she was sexually assaulted during the ordeal, stating plainly, “That is rape by all standards.”
Atuhaire’s ordeal mirrors that of Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi, who is currently hospitalized in Nairobi following similar alleged torture at the hands of Tanzanian security operatives.
The backlash against President Samia Suluhu’s administration has been swift and loud. Activist Nungi Githuku called for accountability, stating, “We demand that the people who subjected them to this torture be held accountable, including those directing these crimes, which have proven to be a directive of Suluhu Hassan.”
Hussein Khalid, CEO of Vocal Africa, added, “Hatukubali udhalimu kukita mizizi katika maeneo ya Afrika Mashariki. This is the time for Africans to rise and say: we will not be used again.”
Regional political figures have also condemned the Tanzanian government. Booker Omole of Kenya’s Communist Party criticized what he termed a united front by East Africa’s ruling class to suppress dissent, while Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka emphasized the universality of human rights, urging regional unity in opposing oppression.
People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua has taken diplomatic action, penning formal complaints to regional bodies including the African Union, demanding investigations and sanctions over the repeated mistreatment of East African activists by Tanzanian authorities.
The Tanzanian government has yet to respond to the latest allegations, even as pressure mounts from across the region for transparency, justice, and reform.
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