Kenyan politician and former Justice Minister Martha Karua has been detained by Tanzanian immigration authorities and is reportedly in the process of being deported, just a day before the highly anticipated treason trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
Karua and two other Kenyans had travelled to Dar es Salaam as an invited guests of the Tanganyika Law Society (TLS) to attend a regional law forum and observe the legal proceedings against Lissu, whose case has drawn widespread attention both locally and internationally.
According to multiple sources within the TLS, Karua and two other international guests were picked up shortly after arriving and are currently being held by immigration officials. Their travel documents were allegedly seized, and they have been denied further participation in the legal event.
“We are deeply concerned about the manner in which our invited guests are being treated,” a TLS official told Channel 15 News. “We believe in openness and legal transparency.”
While the Tanzanian government has yet to issue an official statement, legal and diplomatic observers believe the move may be linked to growing sensitivities around the trial of Tundu Lissu, a senior figure in the opposition CHADEMA party, who has been detained since April 9.
Lissu faces treason charges following remarks he made at a public forum urging electoral reforms. His trial is set to begin tomorrow, and he is expected to appear in person for the first time since his arrest. He has previously protested via hunger strike and refused to attend virtual hearings, calling the charges politically motivated.
Karua’s expected deportation has raised concerns among legal professionals and rights advocates across the region, many of whom view the situation as part of a broader trend of shrinking democratic space in Tanzania.
“This incident is troubling. Cross-border collaboration among legal communities should be encouraged, not criminalized,” said a statement from the East Africa Law Society.
As the situation unfolds, pressure is mounting on Tanzanian authorities to clarify the grounds for the deportation and ensure that due process is followed, both in Karua’s case and in the prosecution of Tundu Lissu.
