Embakasi East Member of Parliament (MP) Babu Owino has sought clarification from Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan on why he was denied entry into the country.
In a letter dated February 3, 2025, addressed to President Suluhu through Tanzania’s ambassador in Kenya, the MP claimed he was detained at Julius Nyerere International Airport in December 2024 and declared persona non grata.
Babu Owino stated that upon arrival at Dar es Salaam’s airport, immigration officials rejected his passport and informed him that he was not permitted to enter Tanzania.
“I write to bring to your attention that when I visited Tanzania in December 2024, your immigration officers rejected my passport and casually informed me that I am on the list of persona non grata in Tanzania.
“In total violation of my right to freedom of movement, they detained me for some time at Julius Nyerere International Airport,” he wrote.
The MP expressed concern over what he termed as a violation of his rights under international agreements and the East African Community (EAC) Treaty. He emphasized that he had followed all legal travel procedures and now seeks a formal explanation for his entry ban, citing his official duties, business engagements, and personal ties to Tanzania.
“I am a citizen of the East African Community, specifically Kenya. I am an elected Member of the Kenyan Parliament, which is duly represented in EALA, whose seat is in Tanzania.
“Both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) guarantee individuals the right to movement into and out of nations, provided due process is followed, which I did,” the letter further reads.
Babu Owino also referenced the EAC Common Market Protocol, which guarantees the free movement of citizens within partner states, insisting that despite fulfilling all legal requirements, he was still denied entry and temporarily detained.
“Kenya, as a sovereign state, issues passports to its citizens, which are recognized under international law. These rights and fundamental freedoms apply to me as a citizen of this planet,” he added.
The Tanzanian government has yet to respond to the MP’s claims.
