Maraga raises alarm over surge in abductions and detentions in East Africa
Former Chief Justice David Maraga has raised an alarm over the surge of arbitrary arrests, detentions, and abductions in East African countries.
In a statement on Monday, May 19, 2025, the emeritus chief justice claimed that cases of extrajudicial killings were undermining the peace that has been witnessed in the community for a while.
“The shrinking civic and democratic spaces in East Africa should be of concern to all of us. The rapidly increasing trend of abductions, arbitrary arrests, detentions, and extrajudicial killings undermines the welfare of our African Jumuiya,” a statement from Maraga’s presidential secretariat read in part.
“We are duty-bound by the Constitutive Act of the African Union and the Treaty Establishing the East African Community to stand in solidarity with our African brothers and sisters, wherever and whenever the rule of law is under assault,” it added.
Maraga went into detail to explain how Tanzania played a critical role in fostering democracy in the EAC, citing contributions from previous leaders from the Swahili-speaking nation.
He, however, indicated that the recent developments risk watering down the efforts of Tanzania’s forefathers.
“We stand at the cusp of a new rising as a continent, and it is upon us to fiercely protect this potential so the present generation will never again ask why their leaders failed them. We must not relent in our solidarity in the pursuit of the rule of law, dignity and the protection of human rights,” Maraga reiterated.
Recently, President William Ruto announced that all abducted citizens had been reunited with their families, sparking outrage across the country. In Uganda, the detention of Kizza Besigye, who was abducted while in Kenya, has continued to spark a storm globally.
Karua’s deportation
While voicing concerns over shrinking democratic spaces in East Africa, Maraga unequivocally condemned the detention and deportation of various leaders by Tanzanian authorities.
“We strongly condemn the draconian acts of detention and deportation against citizens of the East African community who travelled to observe the trial of lawyer. Tundu Lissu, in Dar-es-Salaam. These persons include former Chief Justice, Willy Mutunga, Senior Council, Martha Karua, Human Rights activists, Hanifa Farsafi, Hussein Khalid and Boniface Mwangi. Reports indicate there are other friends of democracy from Uganda also in detention over this issue.
“While some are back in Kenya, it is not well in out region. The fight for democratic spaces grows deeper. Beyond the borders, we are called to a common humanity. These actions undermine the fundamental right to a fair and public hearing enshrined in international human rights law,” the former chief justice affirmed.
