Self-proclaimed National Resistance Movement (NRM) leader Miguna Miguna failed to board his scheduled flight from Germany to Nairobi on Tuesday, January 7, 2020.
This was after German officials and the captain of the Lufthansa LH590 flight informed him that they had not received clearance from the Kenyan government to allow him on the plane.
A Kenyans.co.ke source on the same flight to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) confirmed that Miguna was not among passengers who lined up to board the plane.
Miguna was unable to depart Berlin's TXL airport for Frankfurt where he would have boarded his connect flight.
He faced no trouble departing from Canada and arrived in Germany comfortably before being informed of the reported 'red alert'.
"The Office of The President issued a Red Alert to Lufthansa last evening threatening to deny landing rights to the airline if it carried me to Kenya or any other African country. It was issued after the court orders by Justice Korir. I'm still at the TXL airport in Berlin," Miguna claimed on Twitter.
Kenyans.co.ke exclusively broke the story of Miguna being barred from the flight with his lawyer John Khaminwa confirming details of the incident.
"We have just received a call from Miguna that the German authorities have stopped him from boarding the plane because the Kenyan government has not communicated with them at all," he intimated.
Khaminwa explained his surprise at the turn of events, noting that the state had until this morning seemed willing to ensure the Nyando-born lawyer's return was smooth.
The government had promised to comply with court orders issued by Justice Weldon Korir on Monday, January 6, 2020, seeking to ensure Miguna's re-entry into the country was not interfered with by state officials.
Government Spokesperson Colonel (Rtd) Cyrus Oguna further stated that the government's position had not changed on facilitating Miguna's return to the country.
"The position of the government still remains, he's free to come back as long as he has the valid travel documents," he told Kenyans.co.ke.
Lufthansa Group, on the other hand, confirmed on Twitter that Kenyan authorities requested that Miguna not be allowed on the plane.
"The Kenyan Authorities require airlines to send passenger data to them in advance before every flight departs to Kenya. In the case of this passenger, they requested that Lufthansa deny boarding. However, we are trying to help him in whatever way we can," they wrote in response to queries.
