Omtatah condemns Boniface Mwangi’s arrest, demands immediate release
Busia County Senator and renowned constitutional defender and human rights activist Okiya Omtatah has strongly condemned the arrest of activist Boniface Mwangi, terming it a blatant abuse of power and a violation of constitutional rights.
In a public statement issued via his official X account on the night of Saturday, July 19, 2025, Omtatah demanded the “immediate and unconditional release” of Mwangi, who was apprehended for peacefully expressing dissent.
Gross violation of constitution
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The lawmaker described the arrest as a gross violation of Articles 33, 37, and 49 of Kenya’s Constitution, which respectively guarantee freedom of expression, the right to assembly and protest, and the rights of arrested persons.
“I demand the immediate and unconditional release of @bonifacemwangi. Arresting a Kenyan for peacefully expressing dissent is a gross abuse of power and a direct violation of Articles 33, 37, and 49 of the Constitution. The misuse of anti-terror laws to target activists is not only unlawful but dangerous,” Omtatah stated.
He raised serious concerns over the misuse of anti-terror laws to target civil society actors and protestors, warning that such practices are unlawful, dangerous, and reminiscent of authoritarian regimes.
“Parliament did not enact those statutes to be used as weapons against citizens seeking accountability. This must stop. Kenya is a constitutional democracy, not a police state. The right to protest, criticise the government, and demand change is protected by law, not punishable by arrest,” he wrote on X.
Boniface Mwangi’s arrest
Mwangi’s wife, Njeri Mwangi, had earlier claimed that her husband was taken from their Lukenya home by police over links to terrorism.
In a video posted on X on Saturday, July 19, 2025, Njeri said unidentified individuals, believed to be police officers, stormed their home, known as Courage Base, and took Mwangi away, citing terrorism and arson as the reasons for his arrest.
“The police have come to our home in Courage Base and are taking my husband, talking of terrorism and arson! They’ve taken his gadgets and said they are taking him to DCI HQ. I can’t breathe,” she wrote.
In the accompanying video, several individuals, some appearing in civilian clothing, are seen loading items into a vehicle within the compound, though it was not immediately clear whether they were uniformed police or plainclothes operatives.
