Boniface Mwangi accuses state of blocking his presidential bid through intimidation
By Kenneth Mwenda, October 12, 2025Human rights activist and presidential hopeful Boniface Mwangi has accused the government of using threats, harassment, and intimidation to block his political ambitions.
In a lengthy statement posted on X on Sunday, October 12, 2025, Mwangi detailed a series of incidents he says show a coordinated campaign by state agencies to silence him. He claimed that since declaring his plan to run for president, state operatives have intensified efforts to frustrate him through arrests, false charges, and surveillance.
Mwangi said the latest threat occurred on October 9, 2025, when a used bullet casing was found in his carry-on bag while travelling from Nairobi to Kilifi. He claimed that the cartridge was planted during airport screening, describing it as a direct threat to his life.
Also watch: Boniface Mwangi says intimidation will not stop him.
“On October 9th 2025, something very disturbing happened as I was traveling to Kilifi County. I had packed my own carry-on bag, passed through two security checks at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Nairobi, and then just before boarding, my bag was taken away and I was issued with a luggage slip,” he stated.
“I arrived safely at Malindi Airport and retrieved my bag. While on my way to the hotel, I opened my bag to get a power bank and discovered a used round of ammunition tucked in between my clothes. The bullet casing was on top of a pair of shorts that had been ironed and brought to me by my daughter the previous night, after which I placed them in my bag.”
“The carry-on is used frequently by our family as a regular travel bag. The spent cartridge was slipped into my bag during the brief moment that it was not in my possession. There is only one way of interpreting this incident; a direct threat to my life.”
He said lawyers and rights defenders advised him against reporting the matter to police, fearing it could be used to incriminate him.
Mwangi details state harassment
The activist listed several past incidents where he claimed to have been targeted, including abductions, arrests, and violent attacks.
“Since June 2024, I have been arrested five times,” he said.
He said that in April 2025, police beat him at Kilimani Police Station, forcing him to seek treatment at Nairobi Hospital. Mwangi claimed the state has also used smear campaigns, surveillance, and infiltration to weaken his movement.
He said the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) raided his home and office in July 2025, confiscating his personal and business devices under false claims of terrorism and money laundering. Although the charges were later withdrawn, he said the DCI cloned his electronics and planted spyware on them.
Mwangi accused the National Intelligence Service (NIS) of financing online attacks and using ethnic propaganda to undermine his credibility. He warned that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) could be pressured to block his presidential bid on false grounds.
“The government is using legal and illegal channels to try to frustrate and intimidate me. They have instigated multiple false criminal charges. There are plans to falsely accuse me of failing to pay taxes, and targeting my finances,” Mwangi said.
“The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will also be pressured to challenge my eligibility to run for the presidency.”
He compared his struggle to that of other East African opposition figures such as Tanzania’s Tundu Lissu and Uganda’s Kizza Besigye, saying they all faced state persecution. Mwangi said he will continue to fight for justice and good governance despite the threats.
“As I said before, threats are not new to me. However, the events of this past weekend have left me shaken, and l now believe my life is in serious danger, just like the lives of my friends, Tanzanian’s presidential hopeful Tundu Lissu and Uganda’s Kizza Besigye,” he wrote.
“If anything happens to me, look no further than the State.”