Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi calls William Ruto a 'real terrorist'

After court appearance, outspoken Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi has rejected the government’s attempt to connect him to anti-government protests, calling it a weak and desperate attempt to silence dissent.

According to a report by Africanews, Mwangi appeared in court on Monday, facing charges of unlawful possession of ammunition, a case that stems from his alleged involvement in youth-led demonstrations that have taken place across the country for months.

The charge sheet accuses Mwangi of illegally possessing three tear gas canisters.

Njanja Maina, Mwangi’s lawyer, has firmly denied the allegations, dismissing them as fabricated. The Kenya Human Rights Commission has also denounced the case, calling it a “trumped-up accusation.”

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Shortly after the hearing, Mwangi was released on bond. Outside the court, he delivered a defiant message to journalists, calling President William Ruto a “real terrorist.”

Mwangi stated, “Because we are terrorising Ruto’s heart and Ruto knows that he’s going home, because Ruto is a real terrorist. So we guys are not terrorists, we’re terrorists’ hunters. We’re hunting Ruto to leave power because he’s killing us and we’re tired of being killed by our government.”

According to Africanews, the arrest followed a raid on Mwangi’s home over the weekend. During the raid, his wife, Njeri Mwangi, said that security agents seized electronic devices and spoke of terrorism and arson.

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Many had feared Mwangi would be charged with terrorism. In court, Mwangi distanced himself from organising the recent protests, giving credit to young Kenyans — the “Gen Z” movement — for leading the charge.

“These kids are saying we want real change and that’s why they’re protesting. They are so brave that when they leave their homes, they even write obituaries,” Mwangi said. “So this route tying to personalize the struggle for a better Kenya, about personality, it is very weak.”

The protests initially began in mid-2024 after President Ruto proposed a controversial set of tax increases. Since then, demonstrators have broadened their demands to include action against corruption and what they describe as the regime’s broken promises to ordinary Kenyans.

As activists prepare for fresh demonstrations on August 8 — dubbed “nane-nane” — Mwangi has made it clear that the fight for a more accountable government is far from over, even as the state seeks to silence its critics through legal pressure.