Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino has officially written to Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, seeking clarification on why he has been barred from entering Tanzania.
In a formal letter dated February 3, 2025, and addressed through Tanzania’s Ambassador in Kenya, Babu detailed his experience of being denied entry and temporarily detained upon his arrival at Julius Nyerere International Airport in December 2024.
The Kenyan legislator expressed his dismay at being declared persona non grata without prior notice or explanation from Tanzanian authorities.
“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,” Babu Owino’s letter reads.
Violation of regional and international rights
The firebrand Embakasi East MP argued that his rights to free movement under both regional and international treaties had been violated.
He cited the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), as well as the East African Treaty and the East African Community (EAC) Common Market regulations, which guarantee free movement of citizens among partner states.
“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.
“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,” Babu wrote.
Adding that; “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.”
Demand for written explanation
Babu Owino urged President Suluhu to provide a formal written explanation detailing why he had been denied entry into Tanzania.
He emphasized that he had travelled for legitimate business and diplomatic reasons and had not violated any known laws or policies.
“ALL those rights and fundamental freedoms apply to me as a citizen of this planet. THEREFORE, 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,” he stated.
Babu concluded his letter by offering to provide a Kiswahili translation of his request upon official request from Tanzanian authorities.
“I look forward to your response on this. A Kiswahili translation of this letter can be availed upon your request,” he concluded.
Diplomatic implications
The move by Babu Owino raises questions about diplomatic relations between Kenya and Tanzania, especially in the context of EAC integration.
While Tanzania has yet to issue an official response, the situation has already sparked debate over the limits of regional agreements on free movement.
As Babu awaits a reply from President Suluhu, political observers will be keen to see whether this incident signals deeper diplomatic tensions between the two East African nations given that Uganda also declared him persona non grata in 2019.
In a social media post on Saturday, February 1, 2025, Babu recounted his ordeal at the Dar es Salaam airport, where he claimed Tanzanian authorities placed his name on Interpol’s Most Wanted list.
“So unfortunate how the Tanzania Government put me on the Most Wanted Interpol List. President Suluhu owes me an apology,” Babu Owino captioned a video from his past interview with the Kogis Corner channel, where he detailed the detention.
Babu’s account of his detention
Speaking to Kogis Corner, the Embakasi East MP recalled how an alert was triggered while his passport was being processed at immigration.
Babu expressed his frustration over being placed on Interpol’s wanted list, despite never having committed a crime.
“Ata juzi nilienda Tanzania, unajua venye nimefika Dar es Salaam airport kuweka passport yangu kukuwa cleared na immigration wakaandika hapo ‘Interpol Wanted List’. I could not be allowed to get inside Tanzania, Dar es Salaam. I was detained there for three hours that I am in the Interpol wanted list ya Tanzania. Nkasema ata hapa sijawai iba ata kuku, what is the problem?” he said.
Despite the incident, the outspoken lawmaker stated that he was unbothered by the blacklisting, insisting he had no reason to visit Tanzania.
“But do I need anything in Tanzania anyway? What do I need in Tanzania yenye siwezi pata Kenya? Kama hii Kenya ndo sijatembea hii nchi mzima?” Babu remarked.
Banned in Uganda
Babu Owino also recalled that he remains banned from Uganda and is prohibited from stepping foot in the country.
“Nkienda Uganda I am banned, I can’t step in Uganda,” he said.
The Ugandan government officially banned the Kenyan MP from entering the country in May 2019, declaring him persona non grata.
The decision stemmed from Babu Owino’s involvement in hosting Bobi Wine during his visit to Kenya, where the two are accused of making inflammatory and seditious remarks against Museveni’s rule.
