The United States government has imposed sanctions on a senior Tanzanian police officer over the alleged detention, torture and sexual assault of Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan journalist and activist Agather Atuhaire.
In a statement issued on May 21, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. Department of State had sanctioned Tanzanian Police Force Senior Assistant Commissioner Faustine Jackson Mafwele over alleged involvement in gross human rights violations.
According to Rubio it was evident through reliable information that there was a link between Mafwele and the torture that the two people went through when in custody in Tanzania in May of last year.
“Under Section 7031(c) of the Act, I am designating Tanzanian Police Force Senior Assistant Commissioner Faustine Jackson Mafwele because of the reliable information that he violated human rights,” he said.
As per his statement, among other measures of punishment against Mafwele, he will no longer be allowed into the United States of America.
Mwangi and Atuhaire went to Dar es Salaam in May 2025 to watch the trials of the opposition party in Tanzania.
They were both kidnapped upon landing and detained for several days.
There were rumors that the two activists were beaten, interrogated and sexually abused when in the custody of Tanzanian officials before being left near the borders of their countries.
While Mwangi was located in Ukunda on May 22, 2025, having been in captivity for more than three days, Atuhaire was dropped off by Tanzanian officials at the Mutukula border between Uganda and Tanzania one day later.
The arrest of both activists was met with great concern and came in conjunction with the government’s efforts to keep a number of leaders and activists away from Tanzanian soil, among those Martha Karua, former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and activist Hanifa Adan.
After his release, Mwangi stated that the government carried out torture in order to threaten them into staying quiet about their abuse.
“Everything they did to us in Tanzania was done in the name of Samia Suluhu,” said Mwangi following his release from detention, making a reference to Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
These sanctions represent the most stringent international reaction to date in response to the accusations made against the government regarding the treatment of the two activists.
