Why was Martha Karua arrested in Tanzania?

Why was Martha Karua arrested in Tanzania? Martha Karua, a prominent Kenyan politician, lawyer, and former Minister of Justice, was arrested and deported along with several other high-ranking Kenyans on May 18, 2025, upon arrival at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The question remains why Karua traveled to Tanzania. There are several reasons for this. Karua, former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, and other Kenyan activists (including Gloria Kimani and Lynn Ngugi) were invited by the East African Law Society to attend the treason trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu. Lissu, the leader of Tanzania's largest opposition party, CHADEMA, is accused of treason. He is accused of using social media and YouTube to call on the public to boycott the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections, having reported on election rigging and the disqualification of Chadema candidates on the president's orders. Specifically, the charges are high treason and spreading false information, as he called on the Tanzanian population to boycott the elections, claiming that police had tampered with election documents and that his party's candidates had been disqualified on the president's orders. High treason is punishable by death under Tanzanian law, although this penalty has not been carried out since 1994. Karua's arrival was soon followed by Tanzanian immigration officials who detained the group for six hours before deporting them to Nairobi without giving any formal reason. Karua claimed that they were denied entry because of their ties to Lissu. She described this as a political move to prevent international scrutiny of the process. The Tanzanian government responded. Officials claimed that the group did not have work permits to practice law or legal professions in Tanzania. They further argued that their presence violated local law. Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan defended the deportations and warned of "rogue individuals" who could undermine Tanzania's stability. The Kenyan government could not remain silent. Isaac Mwaura stated that Kenya respects Tanzania's sovereignty but faced backlash from human rights groups. Critics condemned the deportations as a violation of the East African Community's (EAC) principles of free movement and an attempt to suppress opposition solidarity. Elections are coming up in Tanzania. This incident highlights the growing political tensions in Tanzania ahead of the elections, which are accompanied by rigorous repression of dissent and limited space for civil society. It also strains relations between Kenya and Tanzania. Lissu's trial continues amid tight security. Activists like Boniface Mwangi continue to be detained in Tanzania under unclear circumstances, heightening concerns. @https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tundu_Lissu?utm_source=perplexity @https://www.amnesty.de/mitmachen/urgent-action/tansania-oppositionspolitiker-festgenommen-2025-05-07?utm_source=perplexity @https://www.dw.com/de/tansanias-oppositionsf%C3%BChrer-von-todesstrafe-bedroht/a-72478161?utm_source=perplexity @https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2025-04-24-china-to-fund-nithi-bridge-as-ruto-strikes-major-deals