Ugandan journalist and human rights activist, Agatha Atuhaire has been found after being held in Tanzania for six days under unclear circumstances.
Her release followed significant diplomatic intervention from the Ugandan government, which demanded an explanation from Tanzanian authorities regarding her arrest.
Atuhaire, a journalist with AGORA Discourse alongside Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi, were detained by Tanzanian security forces earlier this week while attending a court hearing for Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu who is facing treason charges.
Both individuals were reportedly taken into custody on May 19, 2025, while in Dar es Salaam to support Lissu’s case.
According to AGORA Discourse, Atuhaire was left at the border by Tanzanian authorities without further explanation confirming her release today Friday, May 23, 2025.
“We are relieved to inform the public that @AAgather has been found. She was abandoned at the border by Tanzanian authorities. Further details will be shared later today. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who stood in solidarity during this time. Your efforts truly made a difference,” AGORA posted on X.
The release follows a letter sent by the Uganda High Commission in Dar es Salaam to Tanzanian authorities on May 22, requesting consular access and an explanation for the journalist’s detention. The Ugandan government had intervened after AGORA Discourse alerted the mission to Atuhaire’s disappearance.
Atuhaire’s arrest occurred in the circumstances of increased political tensions in Tanzania, where President Samia Suluhu’s administration has been criticized for cracking down on opposition voices and independent media.
Boniface Mwangi was also released the previous day after being dropped at the Horohoro border in a weakened condition.
Mwangi later tweeted, claiming that his detention was politically motivated and linked to Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu’s regime.
“Everything that happened to us in Tanzania was done in Samia Suluhu’s name, and we will ensure the world gets to know.We shall speak for the Tanzanian victims who are too afraid to speak,” Mwangi said.
Both arrests are believed to be connected to their attendance at the court hearing for Lissu, a prominent critic of the Tanzanian government. Lissu, who survived an assassination attempt in 2017, has been outspoken in his opposition to Suluhu’s administration, which has been accused of silencing critics and limiting political freedoms.
While the Tanzanian government has yet to comment on the detentions, the international community has expressed growing concern over the state of press freedom and civil liberties in the country.
The Ugandan and Kenyan governments have both expressed relief at the release of their citizens, but questions remain about the treatment and conditions of both journalists during their detention.
AGORA Discourse has not yet provided details on Atuhaire’s condition, but further updates are expected later today. The organization, along with other human rights groups, continues to call for greater protections for journalists and activists in East Africa.
