Tanzania has been dealt a blow after the nation was stripped of the prestigious hosting rights for the 30th East Africa Law Society (EALS) Annual Conference and General Meeting on Monday.
The move was announced in a communiqué issued by EALS President Ramadhan Abubakar, who revealed the event had been relocated to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia over what it termed as safety concerns.
Originally slated to take place in Zanzibar, the conference was intended to mark the 30th anniversary of the EALS, which is East Africa’s most influential legal body, boasting over 45,000 members across the region, including Kenya.
In the communiqué, the EALS announced that part of the reason the event was moved from Tanzania was because of the volatile political climate in the East African nation.
“While Zanzibar had initially been selected as the host, recent developments—including the upcoming general elections in the United Republic of Tanzania scheduled around the same period—have necessitated a reconsideration,” the EALS’s statement read.
According to the EALS hierarchy, because of the prestigious nature of this year’s conference and Tanzania’s unpredictable political scene, the venue had to be moved to guarantee the safety of delegates set to attend the event.
The statement went on, “After careful deliberation and in the absence of firm guarantees to delegates who will be attending the event, the EALS Governing Council in its meeting on June 16, 2025, considered alternative venues for the 30th East Africa Law Society Annual Conference and General Meeting.”
While the EALS communiqué did not directly criticise Tanzanian authorities, the move came on the heels of increased scrutiny of Tanzania’s human rights record and its relationship with civil society.
Notably, the Tanzanian government was the subject of mass criticism from the international community following the deportation of a group of Kenyan activists, including People's Liberation Party leader Martha Karua and former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga.
In addition, Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu was also heavily criticised after activist Boniface Mwangi alleged that he had been tortured in the country after days of detention.
The relocation of the EALS Annual Conference and General Meeting bears significance for Kenya, particularly since the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) is among its founding members. A number of Kenyan jurists have also previously served in the EALS leadership positions.
Nairobi Senator was among the first to welcome the relocation of the conference from Tanzania, stating, “Thanks to the leadership of the East Africa Law Society led by President Rama Abubakar for this bold decision to strip Tanzania of hosting rights for the EALS conference. I'm proud to have voted for you.”
