Journalist Agather Atuhaire Freed After Abduction in Tanzania

Human rights lawyer and journalist Agather Atuhaire, who was abducted in Tanzania, has been found near Uganda’s Mutukula border, according to her family.

Atuhaire had gone missing earlier in the week after being detained alongside Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi while in Tanzania.

Godwin Toko, deputy team leader at Agora, shared the news on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday morning:

“Finally, Agather has been found, and I have talked to her via her sister’s phone right now. She was picked from the border.”

Human rights lawyer Nicholas Opiyo also confirmed he had spoken to her:

“Agather is on her way home. She was dumped at the Mutukula border last night—we spoke a little while ago,” he said.

Atuhaire had been missing since Monday. She and Mwangi were reportedly detained while attending a court hearing for Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu—a visit that raised concerns, particularly in light of ongoing political tensions and planned protests in the region.

Mwangi later recounted their ordeal on social media, revealing they were tortured during their captivity. According to him, they were forced to strip naked and ordered to shower to wash off blood. He said the last time he heard from Atuhaire was on Tuesday, when they were still being held in the same room.

Both Atuhaire and Mwangi were eventually deported by road, ending their harrowing experience.