Nairobi, Kenya | ENTEBBENEWS.NET | The East African Civil Society Organisations’ Forum (EACSOF) has castigated the government of Tanzania over its treatment of human rights activists from the East African Community (EAC).
The group voiced its “deepest concern regarding the detention, denial of entry, and deportation” of citizens of EAC Partner States by authorities in the United Republic of Tanzania on or around 18 and 19 May 2025.
It says that the affected individuals were invited by regional institutions to observe public legal proceedings in Dar es Salaam, but were denied entry or removed from the country without formal explanation or recourse to procedural safeguards.
Notably, Kenya politician and lawyer, Martha Karua was detained and deported on arrival at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam as she intended to attend court proceedings against Tanzanian opposition politician, Tundu Lissu.
Journalists-cum-lawyers, Agather Atuhaire from Uganda and Kenyan counterpart, Boniface Mwangi, were detained for four days before reportedly being driven to and left at the borders of their respective countries Thursday night.
Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan immediately said she would not allow elements from other countries to meddle in her country’s affairs and cause chaos.
“Such treatment violates the principle of the rule of law, specifically due process and is inconsistent with Tanzania’s obligations under both domestic and regional legal frameworks,” says a statement by EACSOF.
It says that as a founding member and the host of the EAC Secretariat, Tanzania is bound by the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community, particularly Article 6(d) and Article 7(2), which require adherence to the rule of law, good governance, and respect for human rights in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The Group quotes the EAC Common Market Protocol (2010), ratified by Tanzania, that further guarantees under Article 7 the right of EAC citizens to free movement, entry, residence, and exit without discrimination. Additionally, Article 104(1) of the Treaty obliges Partner States to progressively implement the right of free movement of persons across the Community.
The statement also faults the country for violating its laws.
“Domestically, the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania (1977, as amended) protects personal liberty under Article 15(1) and guarantees the right to be informed of reasons for any deprivation of liberty under Article 13(6)(a).
These protections were not observed in the recent incidents, resulting in reputational harm and irregularity.”
Also quoted are Articles 6, 9, and 12(2) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the principles of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961)—particularly the obligation to respect regional and international visitors’ personal inviolability and human dignity—Tanzania is required to ensure fair treatment of foreign nationals, especially those participating in peaceful regional functions.
“The consequences of such actions extend beyond legal breaches; they impair mutual trust among Partner States, damage the climate for cross-border civic cooperation, and risk destabilizing gains made in trade, tourism, investment, and professional mobility under the EAC integration framework,” the society says.
According to them, the incident has caused diplomatic embarrassment and undermines Tanzania’s long-standing reputation as a custodian of regional solidarity and Pan-African hospitality.
It calls on the Tanzanian Government to clarify the legal basis for the detentions and deportations and ensure that all actions taken comply with national, regional, and international law.
The group also implores the government to uphold its commitments under the EAC Treaty, Common Market Protocol, and African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights by ensuring future treatment of EAC citizens respects regional mobility rights and civic freedoms.
The activists also want Tanzania to engage regional bodies, including the EAC Secretariat, East African Court of Justice, and African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights—to address any grievances or legal inconsistencies that may have arisen; and also to reaffirm, “in both practice and public messaging,” its commitment to being a welcoming, rights-respecting member of the EAC.
“As a regional civil society platform, EACSOF emphasises that integration is not merely a project of governments but a shared endeavor of peoples. Acts that disrupt people-to-people bonds must be scrutinized and constructively addressed.
EAC citizens must be free to collaborate, critique, observe, and build regional solidarity without fear of reprisal. The health of our integration depends on our collective adherence to law, mutual respect, and the vision for an East Africa that is truly open, just, and united.”
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