Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over four years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Tanzania's main opposition party, CHADEMA, has issued a strongly worded statement condemning the deportation of Martha Karua and two other Kenyan lawyers.

In a statement to newsrooms on Sunday, May 18, CHADEMA slammed President Samia Suluhu for detaining and mistreating Karua, the People Liberation Party leader.

According to CHADEMA, it was shameful for Suluhu's administration to deny Karua entry, yet she was only there to attend the court hearing of CHADEMA Party Leader Tundu Antiphas Lissu, who is facing politically motivated charges of sedition and treason.

"This shameful incident is a clear violation of their fundamental rights, an abuse of immigration protocols, and a gross affront to the principles of Pan-African solidarity, legal fraternity, and regional cooperation under the East African Community (EAC) framework.

"CHADEMA finds this action deeply troubling and symptomatic of the shrinking democratic space and intensifying political paranoia within Tanzania’s current regime," CHADEM said.

Tundu's party has demanded an immediate and public explanation from the Tanzanian Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration Services on the legal basis for detaining and denying entry to Karua and her colleagues.

The party also demanded that Suluhu's administration apologise to Karua and the two other Kenyan lawyers over the mistreatment.

"A formal apology to the three legal professionals for the inhumane, undiplomatic, and politically motivated mistreatment. The assurance that all invited observers and legal professionals — local and international — shall be allowed to attend Mr. Lissu’s trial freely, safely, and without interference," the party added.

Martha Karua, together with human rights defenders Gloria Kimani and Lynn Ngugi, had been invited by the East Africa Law Society to attend a court hearing involving Tundu.

However, the three were detained for several hours at the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam before being deported to Nairobi.

Karua expressed her frustration over the ordeal, condemning the move and questioning the East African Community’s (EAC) commitment to the principles of free movement and regional integration.

The detention and subsequent deportation triggered widespread criticism from Kenyan leaders and legal professionals.

Many accused President Samia Suluhu’s administration of breaching EAC protocols and stifling democratic participation.

In a strongly worded statement, Embakasi East MP Babu Owino described the incident as a blatant violation of rights and an insult to Kenya.

Saboti MP Caleb Amisi also condemned the actions of Tanzanian authorities, saying the treatment of Karua was a blow to efforts aimed at advancing women’s political empowerment in the region.

Source: TUKO.co.ke