Kagoro barred from Kenya-bound flight

ZIMBABWEAN constitutional lawyer and human rights activist Brian Kagoro was reportedly prevented from boarding a flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to Nairobi, Kenya, despite a Kenyan High Court order issued earlier this year granting him protection against arbitrary denial of entry.

Kagoro, who is Africa Director and Managing Director of Programmes at the Open Society Foundations, was previously detained by Kenyan authorities after arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi on February 22, 2026.

The Kenya Human Rights Commission said immigration officials intercepted Kagoro before he was subjected to prolonged interrogation by the National Intelligence Service and subsequently removed from Kenya and returned to South Africa. The organisation said he was verbally declared persona non grata and that no written explanation was provided for the decision.

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership between the International Federation for Human Rights and the World Organisation Against Torture, also reported that Kagoro was denied entry, detained and deported from Kenya on February 22. It called for Kenyan authorities to provide a full and legally reasoned explanation for the action.

Kagoro denied allegations that he was involved in financing or coordinating anti-government protests in Kenya, maintaining that his visit was for personal reasons and a speaking engagement.

His deportation triggered criticism from regional and international civic organisations, with the Kenya Human Rights Commission describing the action as an “act of aggression” and warning of what it regarded as increasing pressure on human rights defenders.

Kagoro subsequently challenged the decision in the Kenyan courts. The High Court later granted conservatory orders in his favour pending the determination of his constitutional petition, according to legal and human-rights organisations supporting his case.

His reported interception in Addis Ababa now raises fresh questions about the implementation and scope of those orders.

The latest incident has been described by Kagoro's supporters as a violation of the court's protection, although the circumstances surrounding the airline's decision and the instructions allegedly relied upon were not immediately clear.

The Open Society Foundations previously said no formal charges had been presented against Kagoro and rejected allegations that he had financed or coordinated political unrest in Kenya. It also said the removal documentation cited immigration provisions relating to documentation offences.

The latest development is likely to put renewed focus on Kagoro's pending legal challenge and Kenya's obligations regarding court orders, freedom of movement and the treatment of foreign human rights defenders.

The Kenyan authorities' response to the reported interception was not immediately available.