Poghisio faults Ruto’s silence on Karua deportation
Former Senate Majority Leader Samuel Poghisio has questioned President William Ruto’s silence following the deportation of Martha Karua from Tanzania, calling it a blow to East African integration and democratic freedoms.
Speaking on a local TV station on Monday, May 19, 2025, Poghisio said Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu was acting out of fear ahead of the country’s elections.
“Suluhu is jittery ahead of the coming elections, fighting even shadows. Blocking Karua’s entry breaks EAC law,” he said. “Why is the EAC Chair, President Ruto, silent on this matter?”
Karua, the leader of Kenya’s People’s Liberation Party, was arrested and deported on Sunday, alongside lawyers Gloria Kimani and Lynn Ngugi, upon arrival in Dar es Salaam.
The three had travelled to attend a court session involving Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
Kenyan activists targeted
Poghisio further urged core EAC countries to take greater financial and political responsibility to safeguard regional cooperation.
“EAC should focus on deeper integration. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania must fund more revenue because they are the true champions of the EAC dream,” he said.
The deportation triggered regional backlash, with rights groups condemning Tanzania’s treatment of foreign observers.
Hours after Karua’s deportation, three other Kenyan activists – former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, Hanifa Adan, and Hussein Khalid, were also detained at the Julius Nyerere International Airport.
Meanwhile, activist Boniface Mwangi reported a late-night confrontation with suspected Tanzanian security agents who attempted to access his hotel room without identification.
Mwangi said he feared for his life, citing Tanzania’s record of abductions and intimidation of dissenting voices.
Rights groups across East Africa have since demanded accountability and urged Tanzania to uphold the principles of democracy and the rule of law.
