Tanzanian Activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai Who Was Kidnapped in Nairobi Speaks After Release
Tanzanian activist and media editor Maria Sarungi Tsehai, who was kidnapped in Nairobi’s Kilimani area on Sunday afternoon, was released later the same evening.
Tsehai was reportedly abducted by three armed men in hoods at Chaka Place, where she had gone to visit a hair salon. The men intercepted her taxi around 3 p.m., forcibly removing her and placing her in a waiting Toyota Noah before speeding off.
Her release followed swift action by human rights organizations, including Amnesty International Kenya and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), which intervened after news of her abduction spread.
“Thank you so much, Kenyans and Tanzanians. I am safe, and God is good,” Tsehai said in a video message shared after her release. She promised to provide more details the following day.
Tsehai, a prominent critic of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu, regularly publishes critical commentary on her blog and social media platforms, where she commands a following of over 1.3 million on X.
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Her husband, David, expressed his anguish during the ordeal, saying, “This has been the most terrifying experience of my life. I didn’t know if she was alive or not.” He accused Tanzanian authorities of orchestrating the abduction, stating, “She is a vocal opponent of President Samia Suluhu’s regime, and there’s no doubt that her government and its security apparatus are behind this.”
The couple relocated to Nairobi after fleeing Tanzania during the presidency of John Magufuli, Suluhu’s predecessor, who had issued an arrest warrant against Maria for her activism.
LSK President Faith Odhiambo condemned the abduction, calling it “a troubling indicator of the state of human rights in the region.” She pledged to seek answers from relevant authorities.
Tanzania has been tightening its grip on opposition voices as elections approach later this year.
Maria’s case is the latest in a string of abductions in Nairobi linked to political motives. In November, Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was abducted and taken to Kampala, where he faced charges critics called politically driven. Similarly, in October, four Turkish refugees were forcibly taken from Nairobi and extradited to Turkey, with Kenyan authorities citing “strong bilateral relations” with the country.
Tanzanian Activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai Who Was Kidnapped in Nairobi Speaks After Release
