Maria Sarungi Tsehai, a Tanzanian activist and media editor, was abducted in Nairobi’s Kilimani area on Sunday afternoon but was released later that evening.
Tsehai, a vocal critic of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu, was kidnapped by three armed and hooded men at Chaka Place, where she had been visiting a hair salon.
The men intercepted her taxi shortly after 3 p.m. and forcibly removed her, bundling her into a waiting Toyota Noah before driving off (Watch video below).
Tsehai was freed later in the evening after human rights organizations, including Amnesty International Kenya and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), intervened on her behalf.
In a video shared after her release, Tsehai thanked her supporters, saying, “Thank you very much, dear Kenyans and Tanzanians. I am safe, and God is good. I will say thank you properly tomorrow.”
Tsehai is known for her outspoken criticism of President Samia Suluhu’s administration, regularly publishing critical articles on her blog and social media platforms, where she has over 1.3 million followers on X.
Her husband, David Tsehai, expressed relief following her release, describing the ordeal as “the worst of my life.”
He added, “I didn’t know whether she was alive or dead. She is a fierce critic of Samia Suluhu’s government, and there is no doubt that this government and the thugs in her security service and police are behind this.”
The Tsehais have been living in Nairobi since fleeing Tanzania during the presidency of John Magufuli, who issued an arrest warrant against Maria for her activism.
LSK President Faith Odhiambo condemned the abduction, calling it “unfortunate” and stating it “paints a worrying picture of the state of our country’s human rights context.” She pledged to seek answers from the relevant authorities.
This incident comes amid a broader crackdown on opposition figures in Tanzania as the country approaches elections later this year.
It follows a similar case in November, when Ugandan opposition politician Kizza Besigye was abducted in Nairobi and transported to Kampala, where he faces charges of illegal firearm possession and security-related offences, which many critics argue are politically motivated.
