NAIROBI, Kenya May 19 – Immediate former Chief Justice, David Maraga, has arrived in Tanzania to observe the high-profile treason trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
Maraga’s attendance comes amid escalating tensions following the deportation of several Kenyan activists and legal observers.
Maraga confirmed his arrival in Dar es Salaam on Monday morning.
“Safely arrived in Dar-es-Salaam. Headed to court for the Tundu Lissu Court Case,”he stated.
On Sunday, Martha Karua, leader of Kenya’s People’s Liberation Party and former Justice Minister, was denied entry into Tanzania upon arrival at Julius Nyerere International Airport.
She was accompanied by Law Society of Kenya Council Member Gloria Kimani and human rights advocate Lynn Ngugi.
All three were detained and subsequently deported back to Nairobi.   
“The state cannot be used as a personal tool. You cannot deport people whom you don’t like, who are not aligned to your views,”Karua stated.
According to Karua, no reason was given on their detention and an immigration official at the airport referred her passport to the supervisor.
“I arrived at Daresalaam Mwalimu Julius Nyerere International airport at nine am , and immigration referred my passport to the supervisor who has kept me waiting for an hour as she consults her superiors,” Karua stated.
The said supervisor kept her waiting for an hour as she “consulted her superiors”, who later denied her entry to Tanzania.
Her deportation came even as Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei announced that the Kenyan mission in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania was looking into the detention.
Sing’Oei said the mission, headed by High Coommissioner of Kenya to Tanzania Isaac Njenga will give an update on the matter.
“Our Mission in Dar es Salaam has reached out to relevant authorities in the United Republic of Tanzania and will be apprising further on the matter shortly,” he stated.
Further incidents occurred on Monday when former Kenyan Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, along with activists Hanifa Adan and Hussein Khalid, were detained at the same airport.
They had traveled to Tanzania to observe Lissu’s trial.
Additionally,activist Boniface Mwangi reported an attempted intrusion into his hotel room by unidentified individuals claiming to be “friends.”
Lissu, the chairman of Tanzania’s main opposition party, CHADEMA, faces treason charges stemming from an April rally in Mbinga where he called for electoral reforms.
The Tanzanian government alleges that his remarks incited rebellion and aimed to disrupt the upcoming October elections.
Since his arrest, CHADEMA has been disqualified from participating in the 2025 general elections after refusing to sign a code of conduct mandated by the National Electoral Commission.  
The trial has drawn international attention, particularly after the deportation of prominent Kenyan figures.
The Tanzanian government has yet to issue an official statement regarding the deportations and detentions.