Blow by blow account of Miguna Miguna JKIA saga

The protracted legal hitch pitting politician Miguna Miguna, immigration officials and the Kenyan Courts has ballooned into impasse with no end in sight.

Miguna was deported to Canada on February 6, 2018 after his dramatic arrest for his role in the January 30 controversial swearing-in of Raila Odinga as the People's President.

He successfully argued a case against the deportation and the High Court ordered his return.

However, his homecoming six weeks after the deportation has turned into high-octane drama.

Tuesday 16:30

Justice Roselyn Aburili has ordered for the immediate release of Lawyer Miguna Miguna from the JKIA.

The High Court Judge further directed that Miguna appears in court tomorrow morning.

 

Tuesday, 20:00 PM

Miguna’s lawyers James Orengo and Otiende Amolo stick court order at Immigration Department offices demanding his immediate release.

[Photo: Courtesy]

Tuesday, 15:40 PM

Miguna sues President Uhuru’s government seeking immediate release from JKIA detention. The Canadian Embassy and Kenya National Commission of Human Rights officials who were allowed to see him say his left arm is injured.

Law Society of Kenya asks the state to treat Miguna with decorum and common decency even as a solution is sort over the visa debacle.

“We are concerned by the failure by the directorate of Immigration to issue Dr. Miguna with travel documents as required by the first limb of order no.4 herein which would have allowed him entry into the country.” LSK President Allen Waiyaki says in a statement.

Tuesday, 1:40 PM

Miguna’s lawyer James Orengo in an exclusive interview with KTN NEWS say they are still denied access to their client.

He however notes of increased activity among the immigration officials but is not sure what they are up to.

During the same broadcast, Interior Ministry Spokesman Mwenda Njoka insists they are not contravention of any law while holding Miguna.

Tuesday, 11:00 AM

Miguna’s lawyer Cliff Ombeta and other lawyers say Miguna will not fill in citizenship forms issued by the Immigration department.

They argue that they will not apply afresh for citizenship that would amount to the client admitting that the government was right that he had lost his citizenship.

"He should be allowed to enter Kenya on the strength of the court order," lawyer Ombeta tells journalists at JKIA.

Tuesday, 8:30 AM

The Department of Immigration says it has sent forms to Miguna that will allow him reclaim his citizenship and clearance to enter into the country.

Acting director of Immigration Services, Joseph Munywoki maintains the state’s long held stand that Miguna lost his Kenyan citizenship in 1998 when he became a Canadian at a time Kenyan laws did not allow dual citizenship.

“To enable Miguna regularise his citizenship status, the Department of Immigration has dispatched the requisite application forms for Miguna to fill for processing,” Munywoki says in a statement.

Journalists covering developments at JKIA are escorted out of the facility by General Service Unit officers. They say they are under instructions not to allow the press into JKIA.

Tuesday, 7:00 AM

Miguna sends out a message to journalist saying that he is being detained incommunicado (not allowed to communicate with other people) in what he described as ‘a little hole in terminal 2 domestic on the other side of the airport’.

Tuesday, 00:30 AM

Emirate’s flight EK722 bound for Dubai is confirmed as taxing on JKIA’s Runway 06 behind a Qatar Airways Airbus A320 to Doha.

Flight EK722 leaves without Miguna Miguna on board.

Tuesday, 00:18 AM

The Dubai-bound flight with over 400 passengers has been delayed for over an hour-and-half hours in Nairobi.

A shouting Miguna has held on to the aircraft’s door and refused to board. The scene becomes violent as Miguna Miguna physically resists attempts by the security officers to deport him to United Arab Emirates.

“I am not going anywhere…. where is my luggage? Where is my passport? You cannot take me from my country by force,” he remonstrates.

"First of all, I don’t have a passport, secondly I didn’t book your plane, thirdly I don’t have status in Dubai … so how am I gonna go to Dubai? I don’t live in Dubai, I don’t work in Dubai, I have no connections to Dubai. So I’m not going to Dubai,” he shouts.

Miguna defeats the deportation attempt when he is ejected from the aircraft by the pilot as a hostile passenger.

An angry Raila Odinga leaves with his security detail.

Nasa leader Raila Odinga accompanied by Miguna’s lawyers James Orengo and other leaders exit JKIA. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

Monday, 11:17 PM  

Around 40 armed plainclothes and uniformed police officers whisk Miguna from the passenger lobby in the full glare NASA leader Raila Odinga and his lawyers, James Orengo, John Khaminwa, Cliff Ombeta and Julie Soweto.

Police say Miguna has been declared an undocumented immigrant and was going to be put into an Emirate’s flight bound for Dubai in what was to be Miguna’s second deportation in six weeks.

It is during this scuffle that the officers also attacked journalists to disrupt live coverage of the drama at the airport, clobbering them and the crowd that had milled around the area.

Part of the officers involved in the scuffle. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

Monday, 10:00 PM

The standoff has between Miguna and Immigration officials has lasted for close to nine hours. Miguna is freely walking around the lobby and is granting interviews through a glass door.

Raila Odinga Odinga arrives at the passenger terminal. His presence at the airport does little to save the situation.

Later, businessman Jimi Wanjigi arrives and bangs the door demanding to be let in to join the other NASA leaders.

“I would want to be arrested. Put me under custody,” Wanjigi demanded.

Monday, 8:00 PM

Miguna and his lawyers remain steadfast that they will not surrender his Canadian passport. They maintain that the courts ordered that Miguna’s citizenship be reinstated unconditionally.

Monday, 2:15 PM

Miguna’s Emirates flight EK19 touches down at JKIA where he is received by his lawyers. His lawyer Cliff Ombeta says has had been asked to surrender his Canadian passport to which they declined which is when the standoff starts.