By Watipaso Mzungu:
Renowned governance and human rights advocate, Undule Mwakasungula, has strongly condemned the detention and deportation of Brian Kagoro, a respected Pan-Africanist and constitutional lawyer, from Kenya.
In a statement, Mwakasungula described the incident as “deeply troubling” and called for the Kenyan government’s actions to be condemned in totality.
Kagoro, who is the Africa Director of Open Society Foundations, was reportedly denied entry, detained for many hours, interrogated, and removed from the country without due process on February 23, 2026.
Mwakasungula sees this as a threat to democracy and constitutional governance in Africa, warning that it sends a “dangerous message” to human rights defenders (HRDs) that their work may be criminalized or restricted without justification.
“This incident represents more than the mistreatment of an individual. It sends a dangerous message to HRDs across Africa that their work may be criminalized or restricted without lawful justification. We cannot deny human rights defenders’ role in pushing for rule of law, good governance, accountability and fighting corruption is visible in Africa. To target them through arbitrary detention or deportation is a direct threat to democracy and constitutional governance in our continent,” he warned.
According to Mwakasungula, the incident highlights concerns about shrinking civic space in several African countries, including Zimbabwe, Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya, urging African governments to protect civic space and the work of human rights defenders, emphasizing that it’s central to Africa’s democratic future and collective progress.
He noted that this trend contradicts the principles and commitments made under the African Union framework.
“We well note, the African Union was founded on clear values, including the promotion of democracy, respect for human rights, the rule of law, constitutional governance, and the participation of citizens in public affairs. The AU has also recognized the important role played by human rights defenders in advancing justice, peace, and development across the continent. Therefore, actions that silence or intimidate HRDs are inconsistent with these shared commitments.
“For the sake of HRDs, African solidarity and stability, the conduct of the Kenyan authorities in this matter must not be condoned. If left unchallenged, it risks setting a harmful precedent that may encourage further repression all over Africa. African governments must commit to protecting civic space and the work of HRDs. The protection of human rights defenders is not optional, it’s central to Africa’s democratic future and collective progress,” Mwakasungula emphasized.
Mwakasungula is a governance, public policy, and human rights advocate. He plays an active role in advancing democracy, human rights, social justice, and citizen engagement in Malawi and the Southern African region.
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