Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei now states that Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu should have imposed a harsher punishment on Kenyan activists who travelled to Tanzania in solidarity with opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who is facing legal proceedings.

Speaking at the Senate on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, Cherargei voiced his support for President Samia Suluhu’s decision to deport the activists, however, he noted that Suluhu should have taken it a step further by detaining and prosecuting the activists whom he accused of exporting what he referred to as bad manners and political disorder from Kenya to Tanzania.

“This country people should avoid bad manners, I want to thank her excellency Samia Suluhu for calling out activists who wanted to go and disrupt the peace in Tanzania, in fact she should have detained and prosecuted them because they have taught this country bad manners; they have taught our people to insult, undermine and lose respect to the leadership of this country.

“Tanzania is a very peaceful country and what President Suluhu said, we should respect our countries; there is mutual respect, and I hope as the activists run around East Africa trying to meddle in the internal affairs, they must be put to stop,” the senator said.

Additionally, Cherargei who was visibly impressed by the deportation of the Kenyan activists, warned President Suluhu to be cautious of activists trickling into her country as they are likely funded by enemies seeking to destabilize the continent.

“I want to ask President Suluhu to be very careful because these activists are funded by the enemies of Africa who want to destabilize the unity of most African countries. I want to ask President Suluhu that in the spirit of East Africa, they should assist us to discipline some of these activists that have continued to destabilize Kenya,” he said.

Several Kenyan activists, including prominent figures like PLP party leader Martha Karua and former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, were detained and deported from Tanzania on Sunday, May 18, 2025, while attempting to attend the treason trial of Tanzanian opposition leader Tundu Lissu.

The activists, including Hanifa Adan, Hussein Khalid, Gloria Kimani, and Lynn Ngugi, travelled to show solidarity with Lissu, who faces charges of inciting rebellion ahead of Tanzania’s October 2025 elections.

They were held at Julius Nyerere International Airport, some for hours without explanation, before being deported.

Activist Boniface Mwangi whose whereabouts are currently unknown also reported being harassed by armed men claiming to be police at his hotel in Dar es Salaam.