The International Press Association of East Africa (IPAEA) has raised concerns over the alleged forced deportation of American journalist Margot Kiser from Kenya, calling on the government to explain the circumstances surrounding her removal and restore her journalistic rights.
In a statement, the association said it was deeply alarmed by Kiser’s account of being forcibly removed from her Mombasa apartment on October 10, 2025, by about a dozen Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers accompanied by armed police officers.
Kiser alleges that the officers seized her phones, laptops and other electronic devices before taking her to Nairobi and placing her on an Emirates flight bound for New York without allowing her access to a lawyer or her son.
“I got off in Dubai and stayed there,” Kiser told the association.
The journalist had been investigating the Shakahola massacre, in which followers of controversial preacher Paul Mackenzie allegedly died after being subjected to extreme fasting practices.
She was based in Lamu for a long time.
She had also reportedly alerted Children’s Services to concerns that Mackenzie’s young children were being forced to fast.
However, Kiser said she did not know whether her reporting on the massacre or the children’s welfare was connected to her removal from Kenya.
Despite the incident, Kiser subsequently applied for and was granted a Class K residency permit.
Her attempt to return to Kenya on March 8, 2026, was unsuccessful after immigration authorities denied her entry. She said she only learnt at that point that she had been classified as a “prohibited immigrant”.
According to Kiser, the authorities claimed her activities posed a threat to “the moral fabric and national security of the Republic of Kenya” but did not provide evidence to substantiate the allegations.
She has since filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of Interior and the Directorate of Immigration, accusing the authorities of violating her constitutional rights.
The journalist has also disputed a report suggesting that she remained in Kenya for approximately six months after being declared a prohibited immigrant.
She maintains that she stayed outside the country from the time of her removal until her attempted return in March 2026.
IPAEA condemned the alleged actions, warning that journalists must be allowed to carry out their work safely and independently without intimidation or interference.
The association called on the Kenyan government to clarify the circumstances surrounding Kiser’s removal and take steps to restore her rights as a journalist.
The case raises questions about the treatment of foreign journalists, the exercise of immigration powers and the protection of constitutional rights in Kenya.
The allegations remain subject to legal proceedings, and the government’s response will be important in establishing the circumstances surrounding the journalist’s removal and subsequent denial of entry.
Kiser said she will challenge the move to deport her.
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