Tanzania opposition party cries foul after official is denied entry to Kenya
Tanzania’s official opposition party, Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Chadema), has revealed that a member of its party was, on Saturday, July 12, 2025, denied entry into Kenya.
In a statement sent via its X page, Chadema confirmed that Brenda Rupia, the party’s Director of Communications and Publicity, has been detained by Tanzanian authorities at the Namanga border while attempting to enter Kenya.
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The opposition party has further revealed the government’s intention to deport her back to the country’s capital, Dar Es Salaam.
“We wish to inform the public that today, Saturday, July 12, 2025, our Director of Communications and Publicity, Ms. Brenda Rupia, was denied entry into Kenya and is currently being detained by authorities at the Namanga border. We have received credible information that the authorities intend to forcibly deport her to Dar es Salaam,” the opposition revealed via its X page.
According to the party, Rupia was headed to Germany through Nairobi, where she had a scheduled meeting.
Detained
“Ms. Rupia was en route to Nairobi for a scheduled meeting before travelling onward to Munich, Germany, where she was expected to participate in a training on democracy and elections,” the party said.
While voicing its concern with the development, Chadema has called out President Samia Suluhu for attempts to restrict the movement of the opposition politicians.
“This alarming incident is not isolated. It follows a disturbing pattern of deliberate state repression under the government of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, targeting Chadema leaders and restricting their right to travel. Earlier, the Acting Deputy Secretary General for Mainland Tanzania, Mr. Amani Golugwa, was blocked from traveling abroad, while Mr. Godbless Lema, Chairperson of Chadema’s Finance Committee, was similarly denied international travel.
“Chadema strongly condemns these continued acts of political persecution aimed at silencing and isolating the party’s leadership from regional and global democratic platforms. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Ms. Brenda Rupia and call upon the government to respect her constitutional right to freedom of movement and political participation,” the party added.
The foregoing comes a month after the party condemned the detention of former Member of Parliament (MP) for Arusha Urban, Godbless Lema, who was travelling to Nairobi through the Namanga border.
In a statement on Friday, June 6, 2025, Chadema noted that the actions of the immigration department to detain the former legislator were troubling and that there was no lawful basis to prohibit him from leaving the country.
“Chadema strongly condemns the unlawful and politically motivated detention of Godbless Lema, a senior member of our Central Committee and former Member of Parliament for Arusha Urban, who was today unjustly stopped by Tanzanian immigration authorities at the Namanga border post while on personal travel to Nairobi, Kenya,” the party said.
