Ugandan Activist Agather Atuhaire Accuses Tanzanian Authorities of Sexual Assault

Agather Atuhaire, a Ugandan human rights activist and lawyer has accused Tanzanian security officials of sexually assaulting her during a recent detention in Dar es Salaam.

According to Atuhaire, she was raped and physically abused after being arrested on May 19, 2025, along with Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi.

The two were in Tanzania to attend the court hearing of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who is currently facing treason charges. Atuhaire revealed that she was taken by men in plain clothes who blindfolded her, removed her clothes, and assaulted her.

Her colleague and fellow activist Spire Ssentongo a renown Professor from Makerere University said she showed visible signs of torture after her release, including swollen legs and hands

Atuhaire and Mwangi were taken from the Serena Hotel in Dar es Salaam and held without access to lawyers or family members. Their arrest caused widespread concern across East Africa.

Her fellow Mwangi was later found abandoned near the Kenya-Tanzania border. According to Mwangi, he heard Atuhaire cring during their detention and revealed that they were both chained, blindfolded, and treated harshly.

Atuhaire Agather was later found at the Mutukula border between Uganda and Tanzania. Fred Mwesigye who is Uganda’s High Commissioner to Tanzania, confirmed that she had returned home safely. However, concerns remain about her physical and emotional health.

Human rights groups across East Africa have condemned the treatment of Atuhaire and Mwangi and they are advocating for justice.

As of now, Tanzanian officials have not responded to the accusations. A few days ago, President Samia Suluhu Hassan warned foreign activists against interfering in the country’s affairs of Tanzania.