Former Chief Justice Willy
Mutunga was among high-profile Kenyans who were detained and denied entry into
Tanzania on Sunday evening.
Mutunga, together with two
Kenyan activists, Hanifa Adan and Hussein Khalid, were detained at the Julius
Nyerere Airport, Dar es Salaam, pending what officials said was deportation.
Almost a dozen activists had
apparently flown to Tanzania, prompting local authorities' action.
The move to detain Dr Mutunga
and his group was hours after People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha
Karua on Sunday said she was denied entry to Tanzania and deported to Kenya.
There has been condemnation
over the developments.
Khalid, a human rights
activist and lawyer, tweeted that the trip was "in solidarity with Tanzanian
lawyers and human rights defenders."
“We, @WMutunga, @Honeyfarsafi
and I have been detained at Julius Nyerere Airport, Dar es Salaam, as we came
in for the observance of @TunduALissu’s case. The trip was in solidarity with
Tanzanian lawyers and human rights defenders. They have not given reasons for
the detention," he posted on X.
Hanifa, a journalist and
activist, also tweeted, "Hello guys. We’ve been detained at Julius Nyerere International Airport, and we’re not being told why. This is utterly ridiculous
and petty. It’s 3am and it’s cold here damn. I’m here with Willy Mutunga and
Hussein Khalid. We all travelled in solidarity with Tundu Lissu, who has a mention
in court today (Monday)".
Moments later, Hanifa posted
that the trio was being deported.
They were being held at the
local airport by Monday morning amid plans to send them back to Kenya.
“We've been held at Julius
Nyerere International Airport since 2 a.m. The terminals are deserted, the
floors are cold, and we're hungry. Everyone seems to have gone to sleep,
leaving us stranded. I'm genuinely asking what President Samia is so afraid of?
This situation is utterly absurd,” Hanifa posted a message at about 6 am.
As the three were being
detained, another activist, Boniface Mwangi, was dealing with police officers at
his door, but he refused to open, asking them to break in if they wanted to
arrest him.
“My life is in danger. I'm at
Serena Hotel, Dar es Salaam, and there are armed men in civilian clothes outside
my room. They claim they are police officers, but they have refused to identify
themselves. They will have to break the door to remove me here. I'm not going
to open it.”
“The unidentified armed men
have left my door. I'm informed they have moved to the hotel lobby. My bags are
packed, and I'm ready to go with those people when the Tanzanian lawyers who
are following up on this matter arrive. For now, l will stay put. Thank you for
the solidarity,” he posted on his social media accounts.
On Sunday, Karua, alongside
Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Council member Gloria Kimani and member of the
Pan-African Progressive Leaders Solidarity Network Lynn Ngugi, were detained at
the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam.
They were later deported to
Kenya amid protests.
Lissu, a former presidential
candidate, was charged with treason in April 2025.
Rights campaigners and opposition parties have accused Hassan's government of a growing crackdown on political opponents, citing a string of unexplained abductions and killings.
