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Embakasi East Member of Parliament, Babu Owino, has voiced his strong opposition to what he claims was an unjustified detention by Tanzanian authorities.
Owino, who was detained in December 2024 upon arrival at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, has formally protested the incident, sending a letter to Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
In the letter, Owino described his detention as a violation of his fundamental rights, citing his status as both a Kenyan citizen and a member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), which is based in Tanzania.
The MP contended that upon arrival at the airport, Tanzanian immigration officers rejected his passport and informed him that he was listed as "persona non grata." He was subsequently detained for about 3 hours..
Owino’s letter pointed out that his detention contradicted several international agreements and protocols that guarantee the freedom of movement for citizens within the East African Community (EAC).
He specifically mentioned the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which safeguard the right to enter and exit a country after due process.
He also referenced the East African Community’s provisions on the free movement of persons among its member states.
In his request to President Hassan, Owino sought a formal explanation regarding the reasons behind his detention and his subsequent denial of entry into Tanzania.
He stated that as a duly elected Kenyan MP, he should be free to travel for both business and as a representative of his constituents without hindrance.
He also emphasized that his rights, as guaranteed by international law, were infringed upon during this incident.
“I am placing this special request to your office to appraise me in writing on the reasons why I am not allowed to enter into Tanzania for business, or as a representative of the people of Kenya, or as a friend of the people of Tanzania,” Owino wrote in the letter addressed to President Hassan.
It remains unclear what prompted Tanzania to place Owino on the "persona non grata" list, but the MP is demanding transparency and accountability from the Tanzanian government.