c was on Friday denied permission to exit from Tanzania as he tried to cross into Kenya.
Lema who is a member of the Chadema party said Tanzanian authorities had put him on a “stop list” and barred him from leaving the country.
The politician said he was held at the Namanga border post by immigration officers for over four hours, as he sought entry into Kenya for medical attention in Nairobi, and was forced to go back to Arusha, with his passport confiscated.
The reasons for the denial of exit from Tanzania through Namanga border were not provided.
In a post on X, the politician who was forced into exile in 2020 termed his predicament a targeted crackdown by Tanzania President Samia Suluhu on dissidents ahead of the October polls.
“After waiting for more than 4 hours, I have officially been denied entry to Kenya. My passport has been taken away and I am now expected to go back to Arusha…I hope this persecution will end with us and should not be passed down to our children,” he said.
This comes even as the Tanzanian government recently arrested, tortured and deported Kenyan activists who had visited the country.
A Ugandan activist was also tortured and abused before being deported to her country. There is pressure and calls for action on officials implicated in the incident.
Tanzania security officials are under scrutiny for their actions ahead of the upcoming general elections.
Opposition leader Tundu Lissu is in custody over various charges.
Lissu, a former presidential candidate, was charged with treason.
The decision to disqualify his party will intensify scrutiny of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s record on rights as she seeks re-election.
Rights campaigners and opposition parties have accused Hassan’s government of a growing crackdown on political opponents, citing a string of unexplained abductions and killings.
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