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“As a country, a nation, we want the government of Tanzania to be held accountable for detaining and deporting our people.” Faith Odhiambo~ LSK President.
On June 10th, 2025, Faith Odhiambo, President of the Law Society of Kenya, Ramadhan Abubakar, President of the East Africa Law Society (EALS), and Gloria Kimani, a Council Member of the Law Society of Kenya, filed a petition before the East Africa Court of Justice (EACJ) at the Milimani Law Court against the Republic of Tanzania. They seek compensation for Kenyans who were detained and deported.
The case is brought forth by notable Kenyans, including Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, Senior Counsel Martha Karua, and human rights activists Lynn Gugi, Gloria Kimani, Hussein Khalid, and Hanifa Adan who were detained and denied entry into Tanzania on May 18th and 19th, 2025, before being deported from Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam.
The applicants had traveled to Tanzania to witness the hearing of opposition leader Tundu Lisu, a former president of the Tanganyika Law Society. In their case, they ask the court for compensation for the deportation and the cancellation of stamps on their passports that marked their refusal of entry by Tanzania.
Speaking to the media at Milimani Law Court, EASLS President Ramadhan Abubakar emphasized that every East African citizen has the right to enter any East African Community region or country. He noted that the case will be transferred to Tanzania, stating, “I think with this particular case we have just filed here in Nairobi, it will be transported to Arusha where the court is based. We are therefore looking forward to an expedited hearing to allow the applicants to get justice for the refusal of entry into an EAC member state.”
Faith Odhiambo, President of the Law Society of Kenya, reiterated that Kenya is a member of the East African Law Society, which supports this petition. She highlighted that one of their council members, who simply went to observe a brief, was also detained and deported, as was Senior Counsel Martha Karua.
“As a country, a nation, we want the government of Tanzania to be held accountable for detaining and deporting these individuals without cause. They had not committed any crime deserving of denial of entry,” stated Odhiambo.
She further added that, while Tanzania claims the right to refuse entry, these individuals are citizens who have visited multiple times. Their purpose was not to disrupt governmental operations. She warned that such actions not only jeopardize relations within the East African region but also undermine Tanzania’s obligations as an East African Community member. Therefore, she called for accountability through the East African Court of Justice to prevent similar occurrences for other Kenyan citizens in the future.
