Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna.The treatment of Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and his Ugandan counterpart Agatha Atuhaire at the hands of Tanzanian police continues to attract the ire of Kenyans, most recent condemnation coming from a section of legislators and rights groups.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has in his comment to the sad state of affairs proposed that Kenya withdraws her apology to Tanzania and demand that the neighbouring country apologises to Kenya instead.
Kenya rendered her apology to Tanzania on Wednesday, May 28 during the Annual National Prayer Breakfast in Nairobi, seemingly in response to outrage expressed by Tanzania over the intrusion of Kenyan activists into her internal affairs.
"To our neighbours from Tanzania, if we have wronged you in any way, we ask for your forgiveness," President William Ruto said.
He extended the apology to Uganda, saying, "If there is anything that Kenyans have done that is not right, we want to apologise."
"Withdraw that apology and demand that Tanzania apologise to us instead," Sifuna said.
On Monday, Mwangi and Atuhaire laid bare the brutality they allegedly went through in the hands of Tanzanian law enforcement officers during their short stay in the country.
They they had travelled to Tanzania on May 18 to follow court proceedings in a treason case facing main opposition leader and Chadema national chairman Tundu Lissu.
The activists said they were forcefully removed from their hotel on the night of their arrival, moved between police stations and questioned by immigration officers before being left at the mercy of their alleged oppressors led by a guy called Mafwele.
Mwangi said they were beaten in the presence of three lawyers.
“When the lawyers left us, they did not tell our families that we are being beaten, threatened and harassed. Because Mafwele, in front of the lawyers, asked if I was circumcised. He said they would circumcise me again," Mwangi said.
"At that station, Mafwele said he is going to rape Agather,” he added.
In an apparent reprisal to the developement, Sifuna further proposed that Kenya ceases any engagement with Tanzania, and by extension, Uganda, owing to the alleged brute treatment of the activists and high-handedness to opposition leadership in the two countries.
"First ban the entire CCM leadership from visiting our country. Second, withdraw from joint hosting of CAF with Uganda and Tanzania. Thirdly move the EALS annual conference from Zanzibar," he suggested.
The EALS Annual Conference in 2025 is scheduled for June 12 and 13. It will be a virtual event, accessible from anywhere in East Africa and beyond.
Sifuna's proposals come on the backdrop of demands by a coalition of human rights organisations that the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) should investigate claims of abuse by Mwangi and Atuhaire.
Amnesty International, Law society of Kenya (LSK), the Kenyan chapter of International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the Independent Medico-lego Unit (Imlu) on Tuesday said Eala should hold public hearings to investigate the alleged abuses.
In a joint statement on Tuesday, leaders Houghton Irungu, Faith Odhiambo, Erick Mukoya and Grace Wangeci demanded that relevant Eala committees take up the cases, including summoning the Foreign Ministers from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to shed light on the incidents.
“Torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment are serious crimes under multiple treaties and international law,” they said.
The lobbyists expressed concern over the inhumane conditions the two activists were held under for four long days - without medical attention or access to family or legal representation.
