Kenya suspends over a dozen passports of opposition leaders, deports one to Canada

The Kenyan government has suspended the passports of over a dozen opposition National Super Alliance (NASA) party members over the symbolic swearing-in of leader Raila Odinga as “people’s president”.

Fifteen opposition leaders including Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, Siaya Senator James Orengo and former Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama were issued letters to surrender their passports to the immigration within 21 days or the documents will be declared null and void, reports local news portal Daily Nation.

Kenyan-born critic and member of the opposition party Miguna Miguna was deported to Canada on Tuesday after his arrest last Friday and charged with “being present and consenting to the administration of an oath to commit a capital offence, namely treason”.

His Kenyan citizenship was revoked and he was put into a KLM flight departing Nairobi for Amsterdam, said his lawyer John Khaminwa. Miguna Miguna holds a dual citizenship and his deportation follows an order by High Court judge Luka Kimaru who had blocked his prosecution until he is produced before the court.

Kenyan opposition members believe the move by the government is targeted at the opposition leader Raila Odinga who was warned against the mock swearing-in described as treasonous.

The Daily Nation cites a senior government official who said the Canadian government had written to Kenya after Miguna’s arrested expressing concerns that their citizen was being harassed and they wanted him back.

There is an uproar in Kenya over developments which is expected to be addressed by the Interior Ministry on Wednesday.

Television and radio stations were shut down hours to last week’s mock swearing-in and only one had been restored. They were shut down to prevent them from covering the event.