Former Chief Justice David Maraga has strongly condemned remarks attributed to Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu directed to her Kenyan counterpart William Ruto regarding coordination on how to deal with Gen Z protests across the region.

Taking to his official X account on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, Maraga described the reported comments as “abhorrent” and warned that they reflect a dangerous shift in governance within East Africa.

In his statement, Maraga said he was deeply troubled by the reported discussion between the two leaders during President Ruto’s address to Tanzania’s National Assembly, where they are reported to have referenced coordinated efforts against young protesters.

“As Chief Justice, I cherished the brotherly bonds within our East African Jumuiya and worked closely with my colleagues in the Tanzanian judiciary in the shared pursuit of justice and the rule of law. I am therefore deeply disturbed by the remarks attributed to Her Excellency President Samia Suluhu during President Ruto’s address to Tanzania’s National Assembly,” Maraga stated.

“It is regrettable that the two presidents are reported to have discussed coordinating efforts to “chapa mikwajo” the Gen Z across Kenya and Tanzania. These remarks are abhorrent.”

He added that such rhetoric was unacceptable and inconsistent with democratic governance and the rule of law.

Reference to post-election violence in Tanzania

Maraga also linked his concerns to recent events in Tanzania, citing the aftermath of the country’s 29 October 2025 general elections, where a commission of inquiry reportedly documented over 518 deaths.

He noted that, according to the report, most of the deaths were caused by gunfire and claimed that no accountability has yet been established.

“They come barely a week after President Suluhu received the report of the Commission of Inquiry into killings during and after Tanzania’s 29 October 2025 general elections, in which more than 518 people lost their lives, primarily from gunshot wounds. To date, not a single person has been held accountable,” he stated.

Allegations of human rights abuses

The United Green Movement (UGM) party leader further referenced the incidents involving regional activists, including Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan journalist Agather Atuhaire, claiming they were mistreated in Tanzania.

He said the failure to hold perpetrators accountable raises serious human rights concerns in the region.

Maraga warned that East Africa risks sliding into authoritarian tendencies if leaders fail to uphold constitutionalism and respect for dissent.

He described the situation as the emergence of an “axis of tyranny,” cautioning that such developments threaten democratic gains in the region.

“We must also not forget that our compatriot Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire of Uganda were tortured on Tanzanian soil. The perpetrators remain free. Citizens of East Africa must speak up. The axis of tyranny that Presidents Suluhu and Ruto are constructing threatens to return our region to autocracy,” he said.

Call for democratic accountability

Maraga emphasised that regional cooperation must be grounded in respect for human rights, the rule of law, and the protection of civil liberties.

He argued that suppressing dissent undermines the principles upon which the East African Community is built.

“As I demonstrated through my solidarity appearance in Dar-es-Salaam on 19 May 2025, standing with opposition leader Tundu Lissu, our East African Jumuiya cannot advance while leaders suppress dissent and trample on the basic rights of our people,” Maraga wrote on X.