The Trump administration has banned a senior Tanzanian police officer from entering the country after he was linked to the torture and sexual assault of Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire last year.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the move on Thursday, May 21, under a provision that targets foreign officials involved in serious human rights abuses.
The officer, Senior Assistant Commissioner Faustine Jackson Mafwele, now faces a visa ban that prevents him and his immediate family from visiting the US.
Brutal Torture of Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire
The incident happened in Dar es Salaam in May 2025 when Mwangi and Atuhaire were covering the treason trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
Police detained them, took them to a station, and subjected them to hours of abuse.
Mwangi later described how Mafwele accused him of being part of an illegal gang and helping burn Kenya’s Parliament.
The officer allegedly threatened to force himself on Atuhaire in front of the others.
Both activists said they were beaten, slapped, punched, and verbally abused. Their lawyers were ordered out of the room and threatened.
At one point, officers reportedly stripped Atuhaire, blindfolded her, and assaulted her.
Court Battle Launched by Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire
The two activists were eventually deported, but the experience left deep scars.
On 18 July 2025, Mwangi and Atuhaire petitioned the East African Court of Justice at Arusha for compensation of at least one million US dollars (about Ksh129 million) each.
The case accuses the Tanzanian government of enforced disappearance, torture, sexual violence, arbitrary detention, and unlawful deportation.
It also names the Attorneys General of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, as well as the East African Community Secretary General, for failing to protect them or act on the violations.
Also Read: Boniface Mwangi Seeks Ksh129 M Compensation After Deportation from Tanzania
The activists also demanded that the three governments issue public apologies, provide psychosocial support, institute reforms to prevent further abuses, and hold an EAC Summit on regional governance and security.
Boniface Mwangi, a highly regarded photojournalist-turned-activist, has built a reputation for documenting police brutality and government excesses across East Africa.
Many Kenyans quickly shared his account of the ordeal on social media, calling it a clear case of state-sponsored intimidation.
Many young people on social media praised Mwangi for his courage while expressing frustration that African governments sometimes treat activists like criminals.
Agather Atuhaire, a Ugandan human rights lawyer and activist, has also spoken publicly about the sexual violence she endured.
Rights groups described the treatment as degrading and meant to send a message to anyone thinking of supporting opposition voices in Tanzania.
Also Read: Boniface Mwangi Narrates How He was Sodomized
The US State Department said it acted on credible reports that Mafwele personally participated in the violations.
The designation was made under Section 7031(c) of the annual appropriations law, a tool Washington often uses to bar corrupt or abusive officials from America without the need for a full criminal trial.
This is not the first time Mafwele has faced accusations. Local activists and some Tanzanian voices have linked him to other cases of abductions and mistreatment, though the police force has not publicly responded to most claims.
What the Visa Ban Means
The visa ban by the U.S. is largely symbolic as it does not freeze any known assets Mafwele may have in the US, nor does it affect his position in the Tanzanian police.
But it is expected to make other officers think twice before using excessive force on activists or foreigners, even when executing orders from their bosses.
Meanwhile, Tanzania remains under fire for its treatment of political dissent.
Tundu Lissu, a former presidential candidate and fierce critic of the government, has been in and out of court on treason charges many believe to be politically motivated. His trial has been delayed several times.
