‘We stand in solidarity with the people of Tanzania in their struggle for human rights, freedom, and dignity. We call upon the Government of Kenya, the AU, SADC, the EAC, and the UN to act decisively and protect Tanzanians, Kenyans in Tanzania, and other foreign nationals.’— Joint statement signed by Amnesty International Kenya Executive Director Irungu Houghton, VOCAL Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid, and Kamau Ngugi of Defenders Coalition
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By The Weekly Vision Reporter
VOCAL Africa, Defenders Coalition, and Amnesty International Kenya have jointly demanded the immediate repatriation of the body of John Okoth Ogutu to Kenya. Ogutu, a Kenyan teacher, was tragically shot dead by Tanzanian security forces in Dar es Salaam, prompting widespread condemnation from human rights organisations.
The organisations emphasised that the process should be fully facilitated by both the Kenyan and Tanzanian governments, ensuring that it is conducted with dignity, transparency, and in accordance with international human rights standards. They stressed that swift action is necessary to uphold the rights of the deceased and to provide closure to his family.
[Photo: Courtesy]
In a joint statement signed by Amnesty International Kenya Executive Director Irungu Houghton, VOCAL Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid, and Kamau Ngugi of Defenders Coalition, the groups said they are appalled by the tragic killing of Ogutu, a Kenyan teacher at Sky Schools in Dar es Salaam, who was shot dead on 29th October, and by the unlawful arrest and detention of Fredrick Lorent Obuya, a Kenyan national taken into custody by Tanzanian security forces on 31st October 2025 and held incommunicado at Oyster Bay Police Station in Dar es Salaam.
“These are not isolated incidents but rather emblematic of the escalating repression unleashed by Tanzanian authorities against the public, journalists, and human rights defenders in the aftermath of the disputed elections,” the three lobby groups said.
They called for an independent and transparent post-mortem to establish the precise cause of death, conducted in the presence of the victims’ families, their lawyers, pathologists, and human rights observers. The groups further demanded the immediate unconditional release of Obuya, adding that where charges exist, he should be promptly presented before a competent court of law, with access to his family, consular services, and an advocate of his choice.
Other demands include a formal apology and full reparation by the Government of Tanzania to the families of both victims, as well as a comprehensive assessment of the safety of Kenyans and proactive measures to protect all foreign nationals at risk of arbitrary detention, deportation, visa or work permit revocation, contract termination, or cyber and physical surveillance.
The groups said they are deeply concerned by statements from President Samia Suluhu Hassan and other state officials alleging that foreign nationals, particularly Kenyans, are responsible for the violence that has claimed hundreds of lives in recent days. “These claims are unfounded and present serious risks to the safety of Kenyans and other foreign nationals.”
According to the groups, the police killing of Ogutu and the continued detention of Obuya represent serious breaches of Tanzanian constitutional law and violate multiple regional and international instruments to which Tanzania is a State Party. These include the East African Community (EAC) Treaty, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“It is important to note that there could be as many as 20,000 Kenyans who reside and work in Tanzania. Like John Ogutu and Fredrick Obuya, they are teachers and businesspeople. They are also health workers, hoteliers, entrepreneurs, traders, bankers, and engineers, among other professional occupations. The Government of Kenya bears an unequivocal duty to protect its citizens abroad and to demand accountability where their rights are violated.”
While welcoming the bilateral engagement between the Tanzanian and Kenyan Foreign Ministers on Thursday, 6th November, the groups urged them to act swiftly and comprehensively to protect Kenyan nationals residing and working in Tanzania.
The groups warned that if their demands are not met, they will press for a case to be filed by bar associations and human rights organisations in the region before the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) to seek justice for the victims and accountability for the perpetrators.
They noted that, under international law, Tanzanians have the right to call for accountability for pre-election state-led repression, unlawful killings, and other human rights violations committed in the context of the elections. “Kenyans working in Tanzania must not be scapegoated by an administration that has violently suppressed civic space.” “We stand in solidarity with the people of Tanzania in their struggle for human rights, freedom, and dignity. We call upon the Government of Kenya, the AU, SADC, the EAC, and the UN to act decisively and protect Tanzanians, Kenyans in Tanzania, and other foreign nationals.”
The lobby groups also reminded the government that Friday, 7th November, marked the 38th day since Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo were kidnapped and unlawfully held by the Government of Uganda without access to their families, legal counsel, or consular representation. They reiterated that they continue to demand the release and return of Njagi and Oyoo to Kenya and their families.
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