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Kenya drops terror accusation against activist

Sella Oneko
July 21, 2025

Boniface Mwangi, who rose to prominence during last year's protests against a rise in taxes, had been arrested on Saturday and accused of facilitating terror acts. When he appeared in court today, he was given a lesser charge of unlawful possession of weapons, which he denies.

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Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi appeared in court following his arrest and two nights in jail. Although authorities initially accused him of inciting terrorism, the final charges were limited to the illegal possession of a blank bullet and three tear gas canisters.

Mwangi denied the charges, calling them baseless. He was released on bond, with his lawyers and human rights groups claiming the government is using the courts to suppress dissent. Mwangi believes his arrest was politically motivated, aimed at stifling protests and activism.

His case comes amid a broader crackdown on anti-government demonstrations in Kenya, which recently resulted in over 40 deaths and hundreds of injuries and arrests in a single day.

(This video summary was created using AI. A journalist edited it before publication.)