Tanzanian opposition politician barred from travelling to Kenya

Tanzania’s opposition politician Godbless Lema, who is a member of the Chadema party, was on Friday denied exit from Tanzania as he tried to cross over into Kenya.

Lema said Tanzanian authorities had put him on a “stop list” and barred him from leaving the country.

The veteran politician said he was held at the Namanga border post for over 4 hours, as he sought entry into Kenya for medical attention in Nairobi, and was forced to go back to Arusha, with his passport confiscated.

In a post on X, the politician who was forced into exile in 2020 termed his predicament a targeted crackdown by Tanzania President Samia Suluhu on dissidents ahead of the October polls.

“After waiting for more than 4 hours, I have officially been denied entry to Kenya. My passport has been taken away and I am now expected to go back to Arusha…I hope this persecution will end with us and should not be passed down to our children,” he posted.

This comes even as the Tanzanian government recently arrested, tortured and deported Kenyan activists who had visited the country.