Kigame condemns President Suluhu over deportation of Karua and Mutunga
Former Presidential aspirant Reuben Kigame has weighed in on the dramatic deportation of People’s liberation Party leader Martha Karua, former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and activists Hanifa Farsafi and Hussein Khalid from Tanzania.
Issuing a statement on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, Kigame noted that through the decision, East Africa’s leaders are setting a terrible and retrogressive precedent by becoming dictatorial and intolerant to reason and human rights.
He strongly condemned their deportation adding that the move is equally embarrassing to the spirit of the East Africa Community.
“East africa’s leaders are setting a terrible and retrogressive precedent by becoming dictatorial and intolerant to reason and human rights. The deportation of MarthaKarua and the detention of @WMutunga @husskhalid @Honeyfarsafi et al is not just inhuman but also embarrassing to the spirit of the East Africa Community. We all need to raise our voices and condemn this trend once and for all. #UtuHakiNaMaadili,” he wrote.
Suluhu defends decision
Kigame’s remarks come after Tanzania President Samia Suluhu issued a stern w warning to foreign activists, warning them not to destabilize their peace if they have been restricted in their own countries.
“If they’ve been restrained in their own countries, they must not come here to cause disruption. This country remains one of the few undisturbed, and we must not allow ill-mannered individuals from other nations to sow discord here,” Suluhu said during the launch of the new Foreign Policy at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre.
Suluhu’s remarks followed shortly after Mutunga who was in the company of Hanifa and Hussein Khalid were deported when they attempted to gain entry into the country, hours before the hearing of Tanzania’s opposition leader Tundu Lissu’s case began.
They were detained at the Julius Nyerere International Airport before being deported to Kenya.
Karua underwent a similar fate on Sunday, when she landed in the country alongside human rights defenders and lawyers Lynn Ngugi and Gloria Kimani.
She has since defended her brief visit to Tanzania after Suluhu’s address saying she and her colleagues did not violate any laws.
She also decried unlawful detention before deportation.
“Hatukuvamia nchi ya Tanzania, @SuluhuSamia. Tulikunja kihalali kama wanajumuiya, tukazuiliwa kinyume cha mkataba wa @jumuiya na kufurushwa inje,” Karua stated while defending their visit to Tanzania.
Loosely translated as: “We did not invade Tanzania, @SuluhuSamia. We entered legally as members of the East African Community; we were unlawfully detained and deported in violation of the community’s treaty.”
