By Judy Maina
NAIROBI, Kenya — Martha Karua, a prominent Kenyan opposition figure and former Justice Minister, was detained and subsequently deported from Tanzania on Sunday, May 18, 2025, after being denied entry at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam.
Karua, along with Kenyan lawyer Gloria Kimani and human rights advocate Lynn Ngugi, had traveled to Tanzania to observe the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
Upon arrival at 9:00 a.m., Karua reported that her passport was taken by immigration officials and referred to a supervisor.
After approximately an hour, she was informed that her entry into Tanzania was denied without explanation. The trio was held at the airport for several hours before being placed on a Kenya Airways flight back to Nairobi.
Karua expressed concern over the incident, stating,
“I am concerned that as a citizen of the East African Community, my access within a member country appears inexplicably restricted.” She further suggested that their detention was linked to their interest in the politically sensitive case against Lissu.
The East Africa Law Society, which had invited the trio to observe the trial, condemned the detention, emphasizing that observing public trials is a recognized component of a fair and transparent judicial process.
The Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition also criticized the move, calling it an “arbitrary arrest” that violates regional and international human rights standards.
Tundu Lissu, the leader of Tanzania’s main opposition party Chadema, was arrested in April and charged with treason after holding a rally calling for electoral reforms.
His trial is scheduled to commence on Monday, May 19. Lissu has previously survived an assassination attempt in 2017 and has been a vocal critic of the Tanzanian government.
The Kenyan government has expressed concern over the incident. Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei stated that Kenya’s High Commission in Dar es Salaam is engaging Tanzanian authorities to address the matter.
This incident has raised questions about the freedom of movement within the East African Community and the treatment of political observers. Human rights organizations have called on Tanzania to uphold its commitments to regional cooperation and democratic principles.
