People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader and prominent Kenyan human rights lawyer Martha Karua has claimed she is being detained at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, alongside two fellow lawyers. Karua, a Senior Counsel and former Kenyan presidential running mate, stated that she, Lynn Ngugi, and Gloria Kimani were denied entry into Tanzania and are currently awaiting deportation.
In a series of posts on her verified X (formerly Twitter) account on May 18, 2025, Karua said immigration authorities confiscated her passport upon arrival at 9 a.m. and referred her to a supervisor. She claimed she was held without explanation for over an hour. “I have been denied entry into Tanzania… I am concerned that, as a citizen of Jumuiya, my access within the East African Community appears inexplicably restricted,” she wrote, referencing the regional bloc’s principles of free movement.
Karua said the three are guests of the East Africa Law Society (EALS) and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), and were in Tanzania to support detained opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who is currently facing treason charges. Karua suspects their denial of entry is politically motivated, linked to their intention to observe or participate in Lissu’s legal defense.
“The common thread between Gloria Kimani, a council member of LSK, and Lynn Ngugi is that we are guests of EALS. I suspect all visitors who may be interested in the politically motivated case against Tundu Lissu are being denied entry,” she posted.
Karua is also currently representing Uganda’s opposition leader Kizza Besigye and has been a vocal critic of political repression across East Africa. Her claim raises questions about the shrinking space for legal and civil society engagement in politically sensitive matters in the region.
As of now, Tanzanian authorities have not issued an official statement regarding the alleged detention or deportation. The incident is likely to stir diplomatic and legal debates about regional cooperation and respect for human rights within the East African Community.
