KENYA: Martha Karua Blocked From Entering Tanzania, Faces Deportation

By Lisbeth Micheni, Kenya

A senior Kenyan politician and co-leader of the Azimio la Umoja coalition, Martha Karua, was on Sunday barred from entering Tanzania and is now awaiting deportation.

Karua, who also leads the People’s Liberation Party, disclosed through Twitter that she, along with rights activists Gloria Kimani and Lynn Ngugi, were stopped at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam earlier in the day.

The trio was visiting Tanzania at the invitation of the East Africa Law Society. Karua revealed that upon arrival around 9 a.m., an immigration officer flagged her travel documents and referred the matter to a supervisor.

After waiting for about an hour, she was informed that her entry had been declined.

Expressing disappointment, Karua questioned why her movement within an East African Community member state would be restricted without explanation.

She believes the move was politically influenced due to her support for Tanzanian opposition figure Tundu Lissu.

Lissu, leader of the Chadema party, is currently facing treason charges after a recent arrest tied to calls for electoral changes.

Karua has been actively involved in efforts calling for his release and the dismissal of the charges, which she and others deem politically driven.

The three Kenyans were scheduled to attend a court session in Dar es Salaam related to Lissu’s case on Monday.