Boniface Mwangi says life in danger after night visit by police in Tanzania

The raid on Mwangi’s hotel came a day after Kenyan People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua was arrested, detained and deported hours after they landed in Dar es Salaam.

In a social media post on Sunday morning, Karua said she, alongside Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Council member Gloria Kimani and member of the Pan-African Progressive Leaders Solidarity Network Lynn Ngugi, were detained at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam.

Hours later, armed men claiming to be police officers stormed Mwangi’s hotel, knocked on his door, asking him to step outside and talk, but he refused. It’s unclear if Mwangi was part of Karua’s delegation.

“My life is in danger. I'm at Serena Hotel, Dar es Salaam and they're armed men in civilian clothes outside my room. They claim they are police officers, but they have refused to identify themselves. They will have to break the door to remove me here. I'm not going to open it,” tweeted Mwangi.

He also posted a video where he refused to open his hotel room door for the men, telling them he was afraid of being abducted.

“Shuka hapa uone tunakuita reception, kila kila mtu anaona, camera zinaona…” the officer tells him on the other side of the door, assuring him of his safety.

“So nitakua safe?” Mwangi asks.

“More than safe, yaani wewe una shida gani?” The officer replies.

Mwangi expressed fear of abduction, wondering why police officers were conducting a routine inspection in the middle of the night.

Then a Robinson who claims he works for the hotel then Mwangi he should not be worried but Mwangi refused to open his door asking him to slide his identification card under the door.

Done with the niceties, the irritated police officer told Mwangi that he was making matters worse by not opening his door.

Mwangi then told the officers to break down his door and arrest him, after which the officers left.

“The unidentified armed men have left my door. I'm informed they have moved to the hotel lobby. My bags are packed, and I'm ready to go with those people when the Tanzanian lawyers who are following up on this matter arrive. For now, l will stay put. Thank you for the solidarity,” posted Mwangi.

Mwangi then appears on camera explaining why he refused to open his door.

“I’m scared of my life because there are a lot of abductions in this country, a lot of executions in this country and people are in jail for refusing (President) Suluhu’s dictatorship, that’s why I can’t open the door,” said Mwangi.