Karua deported, accuses government of 'collaboration'

Lawyer Martha Karua addresses journalists after arriving at JKIA following her deportation from Tanzania on May 18, 2025. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

Lawyer Martha Karua has criticized the government for doing very little to save her and two other human rights defenders, Lynn Ngugi and Gloria Kimani, from deportation in Tanzania.

Speaking at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), shortly after disembarking from her KQ flight number 485, Karua confirmed reporting her ordeal to Kenya's ambassador to Tanzania, Isaac Njenga.

However, not much help followed their telephone conversation.

"I spoke to the ambassador of Kenya to Tanzania through a phone at the Kenya Airways desk. He told me he was in Kenya and sought to speak to me through the airline desk. He said they were looking into it," narrated Karua.

"If Kenya has not issued any protest note then they are collaborating in the deportation of an East African seeking to visit another country in the region. Our leaders are collaborating to oppress us," she said.

The government, through the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, had indicated that it had initiated the process of a diplomatic intervention to ensure entry of the three advocates into the neighboring country.

Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'oei wrote, on X:

"Our Mission in Dar es Salaam has reached out to relevant authorities in the United Republic of Tanzania and will be apprising further on the matter shortly."

These efforts were, however, too little too late forcing the trio to board a Nairobi bound plane after over six hours of waiting at the Julius Nyerere International Airport.

The controversy began on Sunday morning when Karua, Ngugi and Kimani touched down in Tanzania for a planned court appearance to observe treason proceedings in the case against Tanzania opposition leader Tundu Lissu scheduled for Monday, May 19.

According to Karua, an immigration official seized their passports and requested time to consult with a supervisor, an exercise which lasted long before they were informed that they had been denied entry.

"The supervisor has now informed us that our entry into Tanzania has been denied, no reasons given," said Karua on her X page.

The event has received widespread condemnation including from the East Africa Law Society and Law Societies in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Tanzania authorities are yet to comment on the matter.