A Tanzanian political activist was blocked from crossing into Kenya through the Namanga border post under unclear circumstances on Monday, January 29, 2024.

Taking to social media, Mdude Nyagali protested against his detention at the border for more than six long hours.

The activist-cum politician, affiliated with Tanzania’s opposition party Chadema, said he was left stranded after being barred from leaving the country by immigration officials at around 8:20 am.

The authorities, citing orders from above, informed him that he had been banned from leaving Tanzania.

“Since 08:20 in the morning, I have been detained by @UhamiajiTz at the Namanga border in my journey to Kenya, on the grounds that I have been restricted from leaving the country by the Tanzanian government. When I questioned the reasons for the detention, they claimed they had received instructions from higher authorities,” Nyagali wrote on X in Swahili.

However, he was allowed to continue with his journey to Kenya a few minutes before 5:00 pm.

“I have been released and allowed to cross the border to Kenya just now. I thank all Tanzanians for raising their voices,” he confirmed.

Nimeachiwa na kuruhusiwa kuvuka mpaka kwenda Kenya muda huu sasa naendelea na safari yangu. Nawashukuru watanzania wote kwa kupaza sauti.

— Mdude Chadema (@mdudechadematz) January 29, 2024

Nyagali has been a guest of the state in Tanzania several times due to his activism since the late President John Pombe Magufuli’s reign.

He was among three people arrested in August last year, in what Amnesty International attributed to their criticism of a port deal between Tanzania and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Nyagali was arrested alongside former parliamentarian and Tanzanian Ambassador to Sweden Willibrod Slaa and lawyer and activist Boniface Mwabukusi.

The lobby group, in a statement, alleged a targeted crackdown against government critics and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the trio.

“The Tanzanian authorities’ crackdown on critics of the UAE port deal reveals their growing intolerance for dissent. The authorities must stop arbitrarily detaining activists simply for peacefully expressing their views and immediately and unconditionally release these activists to ensure the respect of the right to freedom of expression,” Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa Tigere Chagutah stated.