This archive report was first published on 13 January 2020.
January 13, 2020, marked the beginning of a long and costly journey for lawyer Miguna Miguna as he attempted to return to Kenya.
According to an exclusive email interview with the Nation, Dr. Miguna has been trying to return since January 7 but has encountered numerous challenges, including a red alert issued by the government, preventing him from flying to Kenya or any other African country.
As a result, the lawyer has had to rely on alternative routes, which have drained his finances. He estimates that his trips around Europe have set him back over Sh3 million.
Dr. Miguna cited Berlin as one of the cities where he got stuck after Lufthansa Airlines refused to let him board a flight. He noted that life in the German capital is very expensive, with a night's accommodation at a decent hotel costing between 120 and 200 Euros (Sh13,500 and Sh22,500).
For the eight days he spent in Berlin, Dr. Miguna spent more than 2,000 Euros (Sh225,450) on accommodation and food. He also used about $2,500 (Sh250,000) to travel to Switzerland, Austria, and France in search of alternative means of transportation to Kenya.
Dr. Miguna pursued the matter of his return in court, a case in which Justice Chacha Mwita ruled that his rights were violated by his deportation. The judge suspended Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i’s declaration that the lawyer is a prohibited immigrant and ordered the Immigration Department to facilitate his return from Canada.
