Kenyan human rights activist Boniface Mwangi, known for his prominent role in anti-government protests, announced on Wednesday that he plans to run for president in the country’s 2027 election. His candidacy will test whether the momentum from recent youth-led protests can be transformed into an electoral movement.
Mwangi previously ran unsuccessfully for parliament in 2017 on an anti-corruption platform and has long spoken out against human rights violations in Kenya and abroad. “Our leadership has failed us in numerous ways. You pay taxes expecting service, or you're supposed to pay bribes to get that same service. So as we stand here, our country must be taken back into our hands,” he said during the announcement, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Mwangi has faced legal and political challenges in recent months. He was expelled from Tanzania in May while observing a treason case against opposition leader Tundu Lissu, and in July, a Kenyan court charged him with possession of teargas canisters and a single rifle round found in his home. He pleaded not guilty, calling the prosecution “a big shame.”
Elections in Kenya are scheduled for August 2027. Mwangi’s candidacy must be cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. Other announced contenders include Senator Okiya Omtatah, former Chief Justice David Maraga, and incumbent President William Ruto, while a coalition of opposition leaders also plans to field a candidate.
