Renowned Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi has raised alarm after armed men, who identified themselves as police officers, reportedly showed up at his hotel room in Dar es Salaam late Sunday night, sparking fears for his safety.

The incident comes just a day after the high-profile arrest and deportation of Kenyan People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua in the Tanzanian city.

On Sunday, May 18, Martha Karua revealed on social media that she, along with Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Council member Gloria Kimani, were detained upon arrival at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam.

Despite their lawful entry, the delegation was held and later deported within hours, an incident that drew international attention.

Just hours after Karua’s detention and deportation, Mwangi found himself the target of an unsettling raid.

Armed men in civilian attire allegedly arrived at his hotel—later confirmed to be the Serena Hotel and demanded that he step outside to talk.

Mwangi, wary and fearing for his safety, refused to open the door.

In a tense moment shared on social media, Mwangi tweeted:

“My life is in danger. I'm at Serena Hotel, Dar es Salaam and they're armed men in civilian clothes outside my room. They claim they are police officers, but they have refused to identify themselves. They will have to break the door to remove me here. I'm not going to open it.”

In another update, he wrote:

"The unidentified armed men have left my door. I'm informed they have moved to the hotel lobby. My bags are packed, and I'm ready to go with those people when the Tanzanian lawyers who are following up on this matter arrive. For now, l will stay put. Thank you for the solidarity."

At this point, it remains unclear whether Mwangi was part of the same delegation as Martha Karua.

However, the timing and nature of the events have led many to speculate that these incidents are linked, reflecting growing tensions surrounding political activism and dissent in the region.

In other news, the Tanzanian government deported three prominent Kenyan activists and human rights defenders who had travelled to observe the ongoing trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu.

Among those denied entry and subsequently deported were former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, Hussein Khalid of HAKI Africa, and activist Hanifa Adan.

The group arrived at Julius Nyerere International Airport in the early hours of Monday, May 19, but were detained without explanation and later flown back to Kenya.

Hussein Khalid confirmed their detention and the lack of access to legal counsel or immigration officials, while Hanifa Adan later announced that they were being deported to Nairobi.

Source: TUKO.co.ke