Babu Owino Pens An Explosive Letter To Tanzania’s President Suluhu
Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has written a demand letter to Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
In the letter dated February 3, the MP recounted how he was denied entry to the East African country a month prior, before requesting that the President write back underlining the reasons for his prohibition.
“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, real name Paul Ongili, stated that when he arrived in Tanzania in December 2024, he was stopped at the Julius Nyerere International Airport and denied entry.
Hon. Dr. Babu Owino is harmless. We demand an answer from Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan. She must explain why she blocked a state official from Kenya from entering her country. pic.twitter.com/SxCeAjKAUx
— Abuga Makori EGH, MBE (@abuga_makori) February 3, 2025
According to reports, airport workers informed him that his name was on Tanzania’s list of persona non grata.
“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 unexpected outcome prompted the Kenyan MP to protest the violation of his rights not just as an East African citizen, but also as a representative of the Kenyan Parliament, which guarantees him the right of admission into 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 also remarked that the East African Treaty and the East African Community Common Market (unrestricted Movement of Persons) Regulations provide for the unrestricted movement of persons from partner countries.
“Lastly, Kenya, as a sovereign state, issues travelling passports to her citizens, which are recognized by other states under international law,” he concluded.
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“All those rights and fundamental freedoms apply to me as a citizen of this planet.”
On Saturday, February 1, Owino revealed that he had been detained at the airport for three hours for allegedly being on Interpol’s most wanted list for 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.”
Babu Owino Pens An Explosive Letter To Tanzania’s President Suluhu
