Stella Nyanzi calls for East African women to resist Tanzania’s brutality
Ugandan activist and academician Stella Nyanzi has issued a fiery call to action, urging East African women to stand against what she describes as the “brutal corrupt dictatorship” of Tanzania President Samia Suluhu.
In a series of posts on X on Friday, May 23, 2025, Nyanzi condemned the arrest, torture, and ongoing detention of Ugandan journalist Agather Atuhaire, who remains missing after being detained alongside Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi in Dar es Salaam.
In her impassioned posts, Nyanzi framed the situation as a pivotal moment for East African women.
“East African women must arise and show on which side of history we stand. The times demand that we show our solidarity for one of two women. Two East African women: @SuluhuSamia and Agatha @AAgather represent our current predicament in the world,” she declared.
She contrasted Suluhu, whom she branded a “wicked abuser,” with Atuhaire, described as a “truth-telling human rights defender.” Nyanzi’s rhetoric stresses a broader demand for accountability within the EAC, accusing Suluhu of undermining the region’s shared values.
“How will women of @jumuiya show the wicked witch dictator Samia we have had enough of her brutality?” she asked, rallying women to resist what she calls a betrayal of the EAC’s “Jumuiya” spirit.
Nyanzi further alleged that Suluhu is complicit in regional authoritarianism.
“We demand that @SuluhuSamia stops serving dictator @KagutaMuseveni by brutalising us in the jumuiya!,” she said.
The arrests and torture
Agather Atuhaire and Boniface Mwangi were arrested on May 19, 2025, in Dar es Salaam while attending the treason trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu. The activists, part of a regional delegation observing the politically charged case, were detained without charges and denied access to lawyers or consular support.
“Under Samia’s orders, Agather was arrested with Boniface Mwangi, detained, tortured during interrogation & threatened with deportation,” said Nyanzi.
Mwangi was released on May 22, 2025, and deported to Kenya, where he received medical treatment for severe injuries sustained during torture. Atuhaire, however, remains unaccounted for.
Author
Kenneth Mwenda
Kenneth Mwenda is a digital writer with over five years of experience. He graduated in February 2022 with a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from The Co-operative University of Kenya. He has written news and feature stories for platforms such as Construction Review Online, Sports Brief, Briefly News, and Criptonizando. In 2023, he completed a course in Digital Investigation Techniques with AFP. He joined K24 Digital in May 2025. For inquiries, he can be reached at [email protected].
View all posts by Kenneth Mwenda
