Africa Judges and Jurists Forum (AJJF) is deeply concerned about the deportation of Mr. Martin Mavenjina, a renowned and distinguished human rights practitioner who works with the Kenya Human Rights Commission [KHRC]. On Saturday, 5 July 2025, Martin Navenjina was deported from Kenya to Uganda by the Kenyan authorities. Mr. Mavenjina recently attended the AJJF Reparatory Justice Surgery held in Johannesburg, South Africa. He departed Kenya on Wednesday, 2 July 2025 to attend the meeting and upon his return to Kenya on Saturday, 05 July 2025, he was deported to Uganda despite being in possession of a valid and subsisting work visa. This action of the Kenyan authorities raises serious concerns about the adherence to due process, human rights and the rule of law.
Africa Judges and Jurists Forum urges the government of Kenya to ensure compliance with its regional and international obligations, including under article 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to guarantee the right to freedom of movement and prohibit arbitrary expulsion. The UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders affirms in Articles 1 and 12 that individuals like Mr. Mavenjina have the right to promote and protect human rights without fear of intimidation or retaliation. Domestically, the Constitution of Kenya, Article 39, enshrines the right to freedom of movement, and Article 47 guarantees the right to fair administrative action. These binding obligations require Kenyan authorities to respect and protect the rights of all individuals, including human rights defenders, and to ensure that measures such as deportation strictly adhere to due process and are not used to harass or silence civil society actors.
We strongly call on the Government of Kenya to:
- Provide accountability by immediately providing a detailed public account of the facts and circumstances resulting in Mr. Mavenjina’s deportation, and hold to account anyone who may have abused their authority in the way Martin Mavenjima was treated.
- Restore the human rights of Mr. Mavenjina, including his right to freedom of movement and residence, his right to return to and remain in Kenya without arbitrary expulsion, his right to due process and fair administrative action, and his right to carry out his legitimate human rights work free from intimidation or reprisals;
- Commit to future protection, including refraining from further intimidation, harassment, or unlawful removal of individuals lawfully residing in the country.
Mr Martin Okumu-Masiga
Secretary General
Africa Judges and Jurists Forum
Contact: okumu-masiga@africajurists.org