Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire has narrated how she was detained and tortured by the Tanzanian authorities before being dumped at the Tanzania-Uganda border last night.
More human rights activists have threatened to sue the Tanzanian government for the violation of human rights.
This comes just hours after her compatriot, Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi, was also dumped at the Horohoro border post at the Kenya-Tanzania border.
The Tanzanian government, yet again, released Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire on Thursday night, abandoning her at the Mutukula border between Tanzania and Uganda.
Her detention and horrific torture mirror what happened to Boniface Mwangi, who is currently receiving treatment in a Nairobi hospital.
“When I get there, the first order is to take off my clothes. Before I did anything, there was someone who hit me on my back and another who violently took off my clothes. They threw me down and handcuffed me. They tried to put a sweater so the injuries on my hands would have been quite severe,” Atuhaire stated.
“There’s one hitting under my feet so badly, the pain was too much and another shoving something in my … so that is rape, by all standards.”
Atuhaire stated that she was tortured before being abandoned a few kilometers from the border post.
“The feet, I’m screaming and they gagged my mouth. They increased the volume of the car. At first, I did not know what that was for until I heard Boniface scream. They had increased the volume so that I don’t hear him but the pain they were inflicting on him was too much,” she added.
Meanwhile, more activists have condemned Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu for alleged human rights violations against citizens of the East African Community.
“We demand that the people who subjected them to this torture be held accountable, including those directing these crimes, which have proven to be a directive of Suluhu Hassan,” Nungi Githuku, activist, stated.
“Hatutakubali udhalimu kukita mizizi katika maeneo ya Afrika Mashariki. Na kwa Waafrika wote huu ni wakati wa kusimama imara na kusema hatutatumiwa tena,” Hussein Khalid, CEO Vocal Africa, noted.
Another group of activists also criticized the Tanzanian government for alleged abuses.
“The ruling class in East Africa are solidly together to oppose any uprising that might overthrow them,” Booker Omole, SG CPM-K party, highlighted.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka also echoed similar sentiments.
“The world has become a village when it comes to human rights. Human rights are universal… Kama wewe ni mwanasheria unaweza kufungua ofisi Dar, Kampala, Mombasa, Kigali, Bunjumbura. That was the vision of the community. Kwa hivyo Musalia akisema msijiingize kwa mambo mengine haelewei,” Kalonzo noted.
People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has already written to various continental organizations, including the African Union, demanding immediate action against Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu’s administration regarding the detention and torture of human rights activists.
