George Soros's OSF condemns the deportation of Brian Kagoro

The Open Society Foundations (OSF) has strongly condemned the detention and denial of entry into Kenya of its managing director of programmes, Brian Kagoro, calling the action "arbitrary, legally unfounded, and a violation of due process."

Kagoro, a Zimbabwean lawyer and Pan-Africanist, was detained for over 10 hours at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on February 22. He was questioned by national intelligence officers and placed on a return flight to South Africa without being charged. OSF noted that no written reasons for his removal were provided, apart from a removal order citing Section 54 of Kenya's Citizenship and Immigration Act of 2011, which relates to documentation offences but did not specify any alleged violation.

Several Kenyan media outlets reported, citing unnamed sources, that Kagoro was linked to financing or coordinating political unrest against President William Ruto. OSF rejected these claims as baseless and defamatory, affirming that Kagoro has never been charged or convicted of any offence and has lawfully resided in Kenya for over a decade.

The organisation emphasised that its work in Kenya supports lawful civic engagement and accountable governance, and does not involve organising or funding political protests.

"Since 2005, we have worked constructively with Kenyan institutions and stakeholders on issues such as economic policy, climate, and democratic governance," OSF said, noting its longstanding compliance with Kenyan law.

The foundation called for transparency and due process, saying it was seeking formal clarification through appropriate channels. At the time of reporting, the Kenyan government had not issued a public statement on the incident.