Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi
Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi says he fears for his life after spyware was secretly installed on his phone during his arrest last year.
Police raided his home and office in July 2025, seized his phones and computer drives, and accused him of facilitating terrorist acts.
New research by Citizen Lab says Kenyan police used a surveillance tool made by Israeli firm Cellebrite to access Mwangi’s phone without his consent.
The report, released on Tuesday, says officers could see Mwangi’s messages, private files, financial details, passwords and other sensitive data.
Security forces killed or disappeared many critics after the mass anti-government protests in 2024,” he said. Rights group Amnesty International has raised concerns about their use against journalists and activists.
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Speaking on Wednesday, Mwangi said he felt violated and had “life-threatening concerns.” Security forces killed or disappeared many critics after the mass anti-government protests in 2024,” he said.
Mwangi, who plans to run for president in 2027, has been a leading critic of President William Ruto and has accused security forces of extrajudicial killings. He said harassment increased after he announced his ambition.
There were several abductions of government critics after the 2024 protests.
Mwangi said he will use the Citizen Lab report in court to challenge charges linked to his arrest. Police have not responded to requests for comment, according to Agence France-Presse.
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