Tanzanian activist and media editor Maria Sarungi Tsehai, who was kidnapped on Sunday afternoon in Nairobi’s Kilimani neighborhood, was released safely later that evening.

Tsehai was abducted by three hooded, armed men at Chaka Place, where she had gone to visit a hair salon.

The men blocked her taxi around 3 p.m., forced her out, and bundled her into a waiting Toyota Noah before driving off.

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International Kenya and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), quickly intervened and raised alarm about the incident.

Thanks to their quick efforts, Tsehai was freed a few hours later in the evening without any harm done to her.

In a video shared after her release, Tsehai said, “Thank you very much, dear Kenyans and Tanzanians. I am safe, and God is good. I will say thank you properly tomorrow.”

Activist and Critic

Tsehai, known for her strong criticism of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu, often shares articles and posts on her blog and social media platforms, where she has a large following of over 1.3 million on X.

Her husband, David, expressed his relief after her release, describing the abduction ordeal as really terrifying.

“This has been the worst experience of my life. I didn’t know if she was alive or dead,” he told Citizen TV.

He accused the Tanzanian government of orchestrating the abduction, saying, “She is a fierce critic of Samia Suluhu’s government, so it’s clear that her security forces and police are involved.”

The couple fled Tanzania and moved to Nairobi during the authoritarian regime of former President John Magufuli, who had issued an arrest warrant against Tsehai.

LSK President Faith Odhiambo condemned the abduction, calling it “unfortunate” and a troubling indicator of the country’s human rights situation.

“We will demand answers from the relevant authorities about why this happened,” she stated.

Tanzania’s election

Tanzania has increased its crackdown on opposition figures ahead of elections later this year.

This incident follows a series of similar cases. In November, Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was abducted in Nairobi and taken to Kampala, where he faced politically charged accusations.

The month before, in October, four Turkish refugees were forcibly taken from Nairobi and deported to Turkey.

Kenya’s foreign ministry later defended this action, citing the “strong historical and strategic relations” between the two countries.

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