Tanzanian opposition figure Godbless Lema, a prominent member of the Chadema party, was on Friday denied exit from Tanzania while attempting to cross into Kenya for medical treatment in Nairobi.
Lema revealed that authorities had placed him on a “stop list,” effectively barring his departure from the country. He said he was held at the Namanga border post for over four hours before being forced to return to Arusha. His passport was confiscated during the ordeal.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Lema, who had previously been forced into exile in 2020, described the incident as part of a broader crackdown by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu’s administration on political dissidents ahead of the country’s October elections.
“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,” Lema wrote.
The incident comes amid growing concerns over human rights in Tanzania, particularly following the recent arrest, alleged torture, and deportation of Kenyan activists who had traveled to the country.
