Kenya’s former Justice Minister and prominent human rights activist, Martha Karua
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – In a move that has sparked regional diplomatic unease, Tanzania on Saturday deported Kenya’s former Justice Minister and prominent human rights activist, Martha Karua, shortly after her arrival in Dar es Salaam. Karua was reportedly in the country to attend the high-profile treason trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
Karua, along with former Kenyan Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and a team of activists, had flown in to show solidarity with Lissu, the leader of the CHADEMA party, who is facing charges of inciting rebellion ahead of Tanzania’s October 2025 elections. However, upon landing at Julius Nyerere International Airport, the delegation was denied entry and swiftly deported back to Nairobi without formal justification from Tanzanian authorities.
In a statement issued upon her return, Karua decried the move as politically motivated and unlawful. “The state cannot be weaponized to silence dissent or intimidate foreign observers. Tanzania must be held accountable for violating our basic rights,” she said.
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary, Korir Sing’oei, expressed concern over the treatment of the delegation and called on the Tanzanian government to explain its actions. Civil society organizations across East Africa have condemned the deportations, warning they threaten the spirit of regional cooperation under the East African Community (EAC).
Lissu’s case has already attracted international attention, not least because of his survival of a 2017 assassination attempt and his repeated calls for electoral reforms under the slogan “No Reforms, No Elections.”
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is seeking re-election, has dismissed claims of authoritarianism, stating her administration will not tolerate “external interference aimed at destabilizing the nation.” However, rights groups such as Amnesty International and the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition have described the deportations as arbitrary and politically dangerous.
Analysts say the escalating crackdown on political observers could strain diplomatic ties and erode trust in Tanzania’s democratic institutions. With just months to the general election, observers warn that the region must not ignore the signs of shrinking civic space in one of Africa’s key democracies.
iNewsAfrica will continue to monitor developments across the East African political landscape.
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