Boniface Mwangi is a renowned photojournalist and human rights activist who has led Kenyans in the fight for justice on several occasions, including the 2007-2008 post-election violence.
Born in 1983, Mwangi grew up in Nyeri with his grandparents before relocating to Nairobi, where his mother lived.
He attended Maganjo Primary School in Nyeri and later Pangani Primary School in Nairobi. He later joined Kabete Approved School for his secondary education, but was expelled in 1998 for activism.
The activist was expelled after he sent a petition to the then Home Affairs minister, Shariff Nassir, to look into the deplorable condition of the school.
Following the expulsion, Mwangi paused his education until 2016, when he returned to register for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam at the age of 33.
He then enrolled for journalism at the East African School of Journalism and later joined New York University to study Human Rights and Documentary photography.
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His photography career gained fame after he shared images of the 2007 post-election violence through his ‘Picha Mtaani’ project.
His work received worldwide recognition, including from the former United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who wrote a letter commending Mwangi for his work.
In 2017, he made his debut in politics, contesting for the Starehe Constituency parliamentary seat under his Ukweli Party.
Mwangi garnered 15,877 votes, conceding defeat to Charles Njagua Kanyi, who emerged the winner with 38,394 votes.
He continued with activism, developing a stronger human rights stance in his work on fighting political and corporate impunity.
He created various platforms for sustainable activism, focusing on youth leadership and civic engagement.
Among the platforms is the Pawa254 hub, where Kenyan journalists, artists, and activists meet to find innovative ways of achieving social change.
Mwangi’s contribution in the June 2024 protests can’t go unnoticed, as he was at the forefront of the anti-government demonstrations that were sparked by the 2024 Finance Bill.
He was among those who were detained for protesting the Finance Bill 2024 outside the parliament building.
The journalist turned activist has received international commendations for his photography and advocacy work in the country.
He won the CNN Africa Photojournalist of the Year Award in 2008 and 2010, the Next Generation Leaders award (2015), and the prestigious Tutu Leadership Fellowship (2020).
Mwangi was cited as one of the top 100 Most Influential Africans by New African Magazine 2020 and also won the 2021 Outstanding Youth Peaceworker Luxembourg Peace Prize.
The father of 3 is married to Njeri Mwangi.
