Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has penned a demand letter to Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
In the letter dated February 3, the MP recalled how he was denied entry to the East African nation a month ago before asking the President to write back highlighting reasons for his ban.
“I am placing this special request to your office to appraise me in writing on the reasons why I am not allowed to enter into Tanzania for business, or as a representative of the people of Kenya, or as a friend of the people of Tanzania and for any other legitimate reasons,” part of the statement read.
In his letter, Owino, whose formal name is Paul Ongili, relayed that in December 2024 he was detained at the Julius Nyerere International Airport upon arrival in Tanzania and denied entry.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Photo Samia Suluhu
Reportedly, staff at the airport informed him that his name was on the list of persona non grata in Tanzania.
“I write to bring to your attention that when I recently visited Tanzania in December 2024 upon arrival at the airport in Dar es Salaam, your immigration officers rejected my passport and casually informed me that I am on the list of persona non grata in Tanzania,” Owino wrote.
“In total violation of my rights to freedom of movement, they detained me for some time at Julius Nyerere International Airport.”
This unforeseen outcome led the Kenyan MP to decry the violation of his right not just as an East African Citizen but also as a representative of the Kenyan Parliament which grants him the right of entry to Tanzania.
"I am a citizen of the East African Community, specifically Kenya, for that matter. I am an elected Member of the Kenyan Parliament, which is duly represented in EALA, whose seat is in Tanzania," his letter continued.
"Both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) guarantee persons rights of movement into and out of nations upon following due process, which I did."
He further stated that the East African Treaty and the East African Community Common Market (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations provide for the free movement of citizens of partner states.
"Lastly, Kenya, as a sovereign state, issues travelling passports to her citizens, which are recognized by other states under international law. All those rights and fundamental freedoms apply to me as a citizen of this planet," he concluded.
On Saturday, February 1, Owino relayed that he had been detained for three hours at the airport for supposedly being on Interpol's most wanted list in Uganda and Tanzania.
"The other day, I went to Tanzania, and when I arrived at the Dar es Salaam airport and provided my passport to be cleared by the immigration, I was shocked to see my name listed as one of the people on the Interpol wanted list," Owino revealed.
"So unfortunate how Tanzania Government put me on the Most Wanted Interpol List. President Suluhu owes me an apology."
Source: kenyans.co.ke
Babu Owino alidai kuwa alizuiliwa kwa saa tatu katika Uwanja wa Ndege wa Kimataifa wa Julius Nyerere jijini Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Katika barua hiyo ya Februari 3, 2025, Owino anaeleza jinsi alivyokataliwa kuingia Tanzania Desemba 2024 na kuzuiliwa kwa saa tatu kwenye Uwanja wa Ndege wa Kimataifa wa Julius Nyerere baada ya kuelezwa kuwa jina lake lipo kwenye orodha ya wanaotafutwa na Interpol, jambo lililosababisha kuwekwa kizuizini.
