Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura addressed the recent deportation of Martha Karua by Tanzanian authorities, clarifying that her denial of entry was unrelated to her role as an opposition leader in Kenya.
During his weekly briefing on Monday, Mwaura stressed that each country in the East African region independently manages its internal security and immigration decisions. He explained that the Tanzanian government made the decision to deport Karua along with two other Kenyans.
“If a certain government feels like they have information about a particular individual, whether in government or in opposition, it has the right to admit. It is not a question of which side of the political divide one belongs to,” Mwaura said.
He added that Kenya respects Tanzania’s sovereign decisions and cannot question them.
Kenya-Tanzania Relations Remain Strong
Mwaura reassured Kenyans that diplomatic relations between the two countries remain strong despite the deportations, which also affected former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga.
“I don’t think that there is any diplomatic spat between Kenya and Tanzania. Any country has the right to admit anyone within its territories,” he said.
Highlighting the case as an isolated incident, Mwaura noted that opposition figures from Kenya and other East African countries have previously traveled to Tanzania without issue.
“When Raila Odinga was the opposition leader, he used to travel a lot to Tanzania,” he said.
Responding to claims by Karua that the deportations were part of a coordinated attempt to restrict opposition leaders, Mwaura dismissed the allegations as unfounded.
“There is a specific issue here. Martha Karua wanted to go and defend Tundu Lissu in Tanzania, but the government thought otherwise, and they were deported. It has nothing to do with the opposition leaders,” he clarified.
He concluded by emphasizing Kenya’s right to refuse entry or deport individuals deemed a security risk, underscoring the importance of reciprocity in regional security cooperation.
