Human rights organisations are intensifying calls for clarity on the fate of Kenyans reportedly missing or detained in Tanzania in the wake of the country’s disputed elections on October 28.
In a joint statement on Friday, Vocal Africa, the Defenders Coalition, and Amnesty International Kenya accused Tanzanian authorities of gross human rights violations and warned of growing insecurity for foreign nationals in the country.
The groups said the incidents highlight what they describe as “a complete breakdown of the rule of law” and called for urgent accountability.
The coalition highlighted two disturbing cases involving Kenyan nationals. John Okoth Ogutu, a teacher at Sky Schools in Dar es Salaam, was allegedly shot dead on October 29, 2025, while Fredrick Lorent Obuya was reportedly arrested by Tanzanian security forces two days later. Obuya is said to be held incommunicado at Oyster Bay police station.
“These are not isolated incidents but rather emblematic of the escalating repression unleashed by Tanzanian authorities against the public, journalists and human rights defenders after the disputed elections,” the statement said.
The organisations also expressed alarm at statements by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and other government officials suggesting that foreigners were responsible for the post-election violence that has reportedly claimed hundreds of lives.
“These accusations are unfounded and dangerous,” the statement warned. “They pose a serious threat to Kenyans and other foreign nationals residing in Tanzania.”
According to the rights groups, the killing of Ogutu and the detention of Obuya violate Tanzanian constitutional provisions as well as international agreements, including the East African Community Treaty, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
With an estimated 20,000 Kenyans living in Tanzania, including teachers, health workers, engineers, and entrepreneurs, the coalition emphasised that the Kenyan government has a responsibility to safeguard its citizens abroad and seek justice for rights violations.
The statement also drew attention to the case of Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, two Kenyans allegedly detained in Uganda for 38 days without access to family, lawyers, or consular services. The groups urged Kenyan authorities to act decisively on behalf of all citizens facing similar risks.
While acknowledging recent bilateral discussions between the foreign ministers of Kenya and Tanzania, the coalition stressed that talks must translate into tangible measures. They issued seven demands, including the immediate repatriation of Ogutu’s body to Kenya with government facilitation and an independent postmortem in the presence of family members and human rights observers.
Other demands include Obuya’s unconditional release or presentation before a competent court, formal apologies and compensation to affected families, safety checks for Kenyans and other foreigners in Tanzania, and legal action before the East African Court of Justice to address arbitrary arrests, deportations, and surveillance.
“Under international law, Tanzanians have the right to demand accountability for pre-election repression,” the statement concluded.
“Kenyans working in Tanzania must not be scapegoated by an administration that has violently suppressed civic space.”
The coalition reiterated its solidarity with Tanzanians in their struggle for human rights and called on Kenya, the African Union, SADC, the EAC, and the United Nations to act swiftly to protect foreign nationals in the country.
