Former Chief Justice David Maraga arrived in Dar es Salaam on Monday, May 19, 2025, in a show of solidarity with detained Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu. Maraga, who touched down at Julius Nyerere International Airport at 10 a.m., announced his arrival via his X account, stating, “Safely arrived in Dar-es-Salaam. Headed to court for the Tundu Lissu court case.”
Lissu, the chairman of opposition party CHADEMA, is facing charges of treason and incitement — a case that has attracted widespread regional attention and concern from human rights advocates.
Maraga becomes the third Kenyan delegation member to enter Tanzania in support of Lissu, following in the footsteps of other prominent figures. High Court Advocate and People’s Liberation Party leader Martha Karua had earlier traveled to Dar es Salaam but was detained by immigration authorities. Karua, who landed at 9 a.m. on Sunday, was held for over an hour as her passport was subjected to supervisor clearance. She was later deported back to Nairobi alongside journalist Lynn Ngugi and Law Society of Kenya (LSK) council member Gloria Kimani.
Karua expressed concerns about the politically sensitive nature of Lissu’s trial, suggesting that their treatment was directly related to their intended presence at the proceedings. “The common thread between Gloria Kimani, Lynn Ngugi, and I is that we were guests of EALS. I suspect all visitors who may be interested in the politically motivated case against Tundu Lissu are being denied entry,” she stated.
A second delegation led by former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, accompanied by human rights defenders Hanifa Adan and Hussein Khalid, also faced difficulties. The trio was detained upon arrival on Monday morning and held at the airport awaiting deportation. “We have been detained at Julius Nyerere Airport as we came in for the observance of Tundu Lissu’s case. The trip was in solidarity with Tanzanian lawyers and human rights defenders,” Khalid posted on X.
The East Africa Law Society (EALS) and LSK had invited all the visiting delegates, underscoring regional concern over the legality and transparency of Lissu’s trial.
