NAIROBI, Kenya (BN24) — Kenyan authorities have arrested outspoken human rights activist Boniface Mwangi in connection with last month’s deadly anti-government protests, accusing him of involvement in what they described as “terrorist acts.”
Mwangi was detained at his home in Machakos County on Saturday and is expected to appear in court Monday, Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) announced in a statement posted Sunday on social media platform X.
During the arrest, police said they recovered two unused tear gas canisters, a 7.62mm blank cartridge, two mobile phones, a laptop, and notebooks. Authorities indicated Mwangi will face terrorism-related charges as well as prosecution for alleged unlawful possession of ammunition.
A representative for Mwangi was not immediately available for comment.
Mwangi’s arrest follows weeks of unrest in Kenya, where youth-led demonstrations have surged in response to economic hardship, corruption allegations, and police violence. The protests were reignited by the June death of political blogger Albert Ojwang, who died in police custody under disputed circumstances. His death galvanized fresh demonstrations across the country.
According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, a state-funded watchdog, 19 people were killed during protests on June 25. Another 31 deaths were confirmed after protests resumed on July 7. The DCI cited those figures in its announcement about Mwangi’s arrest.
The demonstrations, primarily organized by young Kenyans through social media, have sparked a national reckoning over government accountability and police conduct.
Mwangi, a former parliamentary candidate who ran on an anti-corruption platform, has long been a vocal critic of state abuse and impunity. His activism has drawn both domestic and international attention.
In May, Mwangi was arrested and deported from Tanzania, where he had traveled to attend the trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu. Upon his return to Kenya, he alleged that Tanzanian authorities sexually assaulted him while in detention. Last Friday, he lodged a formal complaint with the East African Court of Justice over the incident.
Mwangi’s detention marks a sharp escalation in the Kenyan government’s response to the ongoing protests and is likely to further inflame public anger.
