Kenyan authorities on Monday dropped terrorism charges against prominent human rights activist Boniface Mwangi, replacing them with a lesser charge of unlawful possession of ammunition, following national and international condemnation.
Mwangi was arrested on Saturday and initially accused of facilitating terrorist activities, a charge he strongly denied. Appearing in court on Monday, he maintained his innocence, stating, “I am not a terrorist.”
A charge sheet seen by AFP indicated he was found in possession of three teargas canisters and a single round of blank ammunition without proper authorisation.
Speaking outside the Kahawa Law Courts in Nairobi, Mwangi accused the government of targeting youth-led protests. “The president is scared of young people who are organising themselves and demanding better,” he said. “They think I’m the financer.”
His detention sparked a wave of online support, trending under the hashtag #FreeBonifaceMwangi, and drew criticism from rights groups who say the government is misusing anti-terror laws to suppress dissent.
Over the weekend, police also raided Mwangi’s home and office, claiming he was financing protest-related violence. He was previously detained in May in Tanzania, where he was attending a trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu. Mwangi and fellow activist Agather Atuhaire later accused Tanzanian authorities of torture and sexual abuse.
The pair have since filed a case against Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda at the East African Court of Justice.
Kenya has been rocked by waves of mass protests since June 2024, initially over tax increases and more recently in response to alleged police brutality and arbitrary arrests. Rights groups say more than 100 protesters have been killed by police — a figure disputed by the government, which puts the death toll at 42.
