By Dean Lubowa Saava
Martha Karua, a prominent Kenyan lawyer and former Justice Minister, has been deported from Tanzania. Karua believes the deportation was aimed at preventing her from attending the court case of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who faces treason charges. Two colleagues accompanying Karua were also detained and deported after arriving from Kenya.
Tanzanian authorities have yet to comment on the incident. Lissu, the leader of the Chadema party, is set to appear in court after being charged with treason, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of death. Karua, a respected human rights advocate, has been critical of democratic backsliding in East Africa and has represented Ugandan opposition politician Kizza Besigye in similar cases.
The People’s Liberation Party (PLP), Karua’s own party, stated that she, along with fellow Kenyan lawyer Gloria Kimani and human rights campaigner Lynn Ngugi, underwent “hours of unwarranted interrogation” before being deported. Chadema’s general secretary, John Mnyika, condemned the incident, saying, “The solution to hiding the shame of a false treason case is not to detain foreign lawyers, but to drop the case altogether
Human rights groups have expressed concern about the crackdown on opposition in Tanzania ahead of the October presidential and parliamentary elections. Lissu, known for his resilience, survived an assassination attempt in 2017. He was arrested in April after holding a rally demanding electoral reforms, which the government has denied.
Since Lissu’s arrest, his party has been barred from contesting the October poll for refusing to sign a code of conduct. The ruling CCM party is expected to retain power, with President Samia Suluhu Hassan likely to be its presidential candidate.
While Hassan initially brought greater political freedom to Tanzanians, critics argue that the country is reverting to the repression seen under her predecessor, John Magufuli. The government denies these claims.
Karua’s deportation and Lissu’s case highlight the ongoing tensions between the Tanzanian government and the opposition. As the elections approach, the situation remains volatile, with human rights groups closely monitoring the developments.
