Karua deported over legal breach, says Tanzanian government
Karua was removed from the country before she could appear in court, where Lissu faces treason charges linked to his call for electoral reforms.
Tanzania has confirmed that it deported Kenya’s Martha Karua and two others for violating local laws by attempting to engage in legal representation without a license.
Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Damas Ndumbaro said Karua, lawyer Gloria Kimani and activist Lynn Ngugi arrived to support opposition leader Tundu Lissu in court but were sent back for lacking the legal authority to do so.
Speaking in Dodoma on May 20, Ndumbaro stated that their actions undermined the legal framework of Tanzania and could not be tolerated.
"What they were coming to do in this country is a violation of Tanzanian laws, which is unacceptable," he said.
Karua was removed from the country before she could appear in court, where Lissu faces treason charges linked to his call for electoral reforms.
Ndumbaro said the deportation was part of the government’s efforts to safeguard legal procedures and sovereignty.
Lissu’s case has attracted regional attention, with former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and other activists also facing travel restrictions after trying to enter Tanzania.
Karua has been outspoken on human rights and governance issues across East Africa.
Her past involvement includes the legal defence of Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye, who was taken back to Uganda last year under contentious circumstances.
Karua, a former Justice Minister and 2022 presidential running mate in Kenya, has continued to speak against what she sees as political suppression in the region.
