UN Chief Sounds Alarm After Foreigner Abduction in Nairobi
On Sunday, Stephen Jackson, the United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator to Kenya, expressed concern over the abduction of Maria Sarungi Tsehai, a Tanzanian media personality and human rights defender.
Tsehai was reportedly kidnapped in Nairobi. Jackson shared his worries through his official X account, responding to a report by Amnesty Kenya that highlighted the incident. He emphasized how troubling this development was.
The UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) in Kenya is key in supporting the UN and coordinating its efforts across the country.
Tsehai, the victim of the abduction, is known for being a strong critic of Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu. However, the exact reasons behind her abduction are still unclear.
Amnesty Kenya, the first to report the incident, shared that Tsehai was forcibly taken by three armed men in a black Noah vehicle at Chaka Place in the Kilimani area of Nairobi. The kidnapping occurred at approximately 3:15 pm on Sunday. Amnesty Kenya’s statement described the incident and urged people to spread the word and help keep Tsehai safe.
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Maria Sarungi Tsehai is a well-known media and communications expert and has a large following on social media, particularly on X, where she actively critiques the Tanzanian government.
Her posts often highlight her activism, including exposing controversial government plans. Before her abduction, Tsehai had drawn attention to the Tanzanian government’s plans to import two airplanes—one for the VIPs and another for Air Tanzania.
This abduction is the second high-profile kidnapping of an East African activist from a wealthy Nairobi neighborhood in just a few months. The first occurred in November 2024 when Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was abducted from Riverside Drive and taken to Uganda, where he faces national security charges.
The abduction of Tsehai raises concerns about Kenya’s commitment to human rights, especially as the country officially joins the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in January 2025.
UN Chief Sounds Alarm After Foreigner Abduction in Nairobi
