Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire found near Tanzania-Uganda border in distressed condition

Ugandan journalist and human rights activist Agather Atuhaire, who had been reported missing earlier this week following her arrest in Tanzania, has been found in a visibly distressed condition near the Mutukula border post that separates Tanzania and Uganda.

Atuhaire, a vocal advocate for civic freedoms in the region, had travelled to Dar es Salaam to attend the treason trial of Tanzanian opposition politician Tundu Lissu. 

She was detained alongside Boniface Mwangi, a prominent Kenyan activist, under unclear circumstances that sparked regional concern and calls for their release.

While Mwangi was deported to Kenya on Thursday and later resurfaced in Ukunda, Kilifi County, Atuhaire's whereabouts remained unknown until late Friday when her family and civil society sources confirmed she had been found alone and in poor health near the border.

“She has suffered physical harm, but her resolve remains strong,” said Hussein Khalid, Executive Director of VOCAL Africa, a civil society organisation closely monitoring the case. “Justice must be pursued—not just for Agather and Boniface, but for the principles of freedom and accountability in the region.”

Mwangi has since issued a strongly worded statement condemning their detention, alleging they were physically assaulted, threatened, and warned against speaking out. “We were told we’d face public shame if we said anything. But we will not be silenced,” he said. “We will speak for Tanzanians who fear to raise their voices.”

Atuhaire has not yet spoken publicly. Her family, however, confirmed that she was found late at night, physically shaken and visibly unwell. The exact circumstances of her release and eventual deportation remain unclear.

The arrests and subsequent reports of abuse have triggered widespread concern from international human rights organisations, with calls for Tanzanian authorities to uphold the rule of law and respect the rights of visiting activists and observers.

The two had been attending court proceedings involving Tundu Lissu, a former presidential candidate and outspoken government critic who faces treason charges over remarks he made in April. Their detention disrupted their plans and led to a tense four-day standoff, during which regional civil society actors and rights defenders demanded their safe release.

Earlier this week, President Samia Suluhu Hassan warned against foreign interference in Tanzania’s internal affairs, a statement that now takes on added weight in light of the activists’ ordeal.