The public designation was formally made under “Section 7031(c) of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2026 (Div. F, P.L. 119-75).”
The United States Department of State has designated a senior officer of the Tanzanian Police Force, Senior Assistant Commissioner Faustine Jackson Mafwele, over alleged involvement in gross human rights violations, effectively barring him from entering the United States.
In a statement issued on Thursday, under Section 7031(c) of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2026, the U.S. government said the designation was based on “credible information” linking Mafwele to the detention, torture and sexual assault of two East African activists.
“The Department of State is designating Tanzanian Police Force (TPF) Senior Assistant Commissioner Faustine Jackson Mafwele under Section 7031(c) based on credible information that he was involved in gross violations of human rights,” the statement said.
The U.S. government further stated, “One year ago, members of the TPF detained, tortured, and sexually assaulted Ugandan Agather Atuhaire and Kenyan Boniface Mwangi, who were in Dar es Salaam to observe the judicial trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu.”
