On February 26, 2026, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) Kenya officially denounced the expulsion of renowned Zimbabwean human rights lawyer and Pan-Africanist Brian Kagoro.Â
Kagoro, who serves as the Africa Director of the Open Society Foundation (OSF), was denied entry into Kenya at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on February 22, 2026.
He was detained for several hours and subsequently expelled from the country.Kenyan security agencies accused Kagoro of involvement in a foreign-supported network allegedly seeking to stir anti-government protests and “destabilize” the country.
The organization condemned the detention as an “unlawful denial of entry” and a violation of constitutional obligations regarding civic space. They noted that Kagoro was not provided with an official explanation or written notification for his denial of entry.
ICJ Kenya has called on the Kenyan government to provide a transparent and legally sound explanation for the move and urged the state to cease the harassment of human rights defenders.
By Anthony Solly
