Veteran Kenyan politician and lawyer Martha Karua has claimed she is being held at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, alongside two other human rights defenders, pending deportation.
In a series of posts on her verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday morning, Karua said that immigration authorities confiscated her passport shortly after her arrival at 9 a.m. and referred her to a supervisor without offering a clear explanation.
“I have been denied entry into Tanzania and I and two colleagues are awaiting deportation at Mwalimu Nyerere International Airport Dar es Salaam,” Karua posted.
She identified her fellow detainees as lawyers and human rights advocates Lynn Ngugi and Gloria Kimani, all of whom had travelled to Tanzania under the invitation of the East Africa Law Society (EALS).
Karua, who is also the leader of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) and a Senior Counsel in Kenya, expressed concern over the apparent restriction of movement within the East African Community (EAC), of which both Kenya and Tanzania are member states.
“I am concerned that, as a citizen of Jumuiya, my access within the East African Community appears inexplicably restricted,” she said.
Karua, Ngugi, and Kimani had reportedly travelled to Dar es Salaam to show solidarity with Tundu Lissu, a Tanzanian opposition leader facing treason charges. Karua, a long-time critic of political repression across the region, alleged that their political interest in Lissu’s case may have been the reason behind their denied entry.
“I suspect all visitors who may be interested in the politically motivated case against Tundu Lissu are being denied entry,” she added.
This is not the first time Karua has involved herself in regional political matters. She is also currently involved in the legal team representing Uganda’s opposition figure Kizza Besigye, further cementing her position as a vocal defender of democracy and civil liberties across East Africa.
As of the time of publishing, Tanzanian authorities have not issued an official statement regarding Karua’s claims.
