Martha Karua, leader of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP)
On Sunday, May 18, 2025, Martha Karua, leader of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) and a prominent Kenyan Senior Counsel, was detained at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, along with fellow Kenyan lawyers Gloria Kimani and Lynn Ngugi.
The trio had arrived as guests of the East Africa Law Society (EALS) for a regional legal conference but were informed by Tanzanian immigration authorities that their entry had been denied without explanation.
Upon arrival, Karua reported that her passport was seized by immigration officials who referred it to a supervisor. After an hour of waiting, she was informed that her entry had been denied, with no reasons provided. Karua expressed concern over the lack of transparency, especially given her status as an East African Community (EAC) citizen.
The EAC Common Market Protocol guarantees the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital among member states.
Under Article 11 of the Protocol, EAC partner states are obligated to mutually recognize academic and professional qualifications, including those of lawyers. Karua, a licensed Kenyan lawyer, had met all the requirements for temporary admission to practice in Tanzania.
The East Africa Law Society condemned the denial, stating that it undermines the spirit of regional integration and erodes progress toward cross-border legal practice in the region.
The incident has raised concerns about the willingness of EAC partner states to fully implement the Common Market Protocol.
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