Renowned Tanzanian rights activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai was kidnapped in Nairobi, Kenya, on Sunday, according to Amnesty International and her organization. Tsehai, known for her advocacy for political change, freedom of expression, and women’s rights in Tanzania, commands a significant online presence with 1.3 million followers on X.
Amnesty International’s Kenya branch reported that Tsehai was abducted around 3 PM in the Kilimani area by three armed men in a black Toyota Noah. Kenya has faced criticism for its history of permitting foreign governments to orchestrate kidnappings and forced extraditions within its borders, actions that contravene international law.
This incident follows other alarming cases, such as the October abduction of four Turkish refugees in Nairobi, who were forcibly returned to Turkey, and the November seizure of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye, who was taken to Kinshasa to face a controversial military trial. Amnesty International has expressed concern over what it describes as a “growing and worrying trend of transnational repression” in Kenya.
Tanzania, meanwhile, has come under scrutiny for escalating crackdowns on opposition figures as elections approach. Initially lauded for improving democratic freedoms after succeeding the authoritarian John Magufuli in 2021, President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s administration has been criticized by rights groups and Western governments for alleged repression, including arrests, kidnappings, and even killings of political opponents.