Miguna Blocked From Boarding Flight to Nairobi

An undated image of exiled lawyer Miguna Miguna during a past interview.
An undated image of exiled lawyer Miguna Miguna during a past Interview.
K24 Digital

Exiled lawyer Miguna Miguna's quest to return to Kenya has met yet another stumbling block after Air France declined to allow him into a flight bound for Nairobi. 

In a statement published on Monday, November 15, Miguna revealed that  they French carrier refused to fly him to Kenya on account of orders made by the Kenyan government through red alerts. 

Miguna, who had checked into Berlin, indicated that he had booked a plane ticket to Nairobi two weeks ago - on October 29. 

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Kenyan Lawyer, Miguna Miguna (right) and an official from Air France at a check-in counter at the Brandenburg International Airport in Berlin, Germany on November 15.

"This is to inform Kenyans and the world that Air France officials at the check-in counter at the Berlin Brandenburg Airport have just informed me that the Government of Kenya sent them a "Red Alert" this morning that they cannot fly me to Nairobi, " the statement read in part.

He, however, indicated that the airline had refused to give me a copy of the "Red Alert" or anything else they can give me proving the directive they were acting on.

In a statement  seen by Kenyans.co.ke,  the airline issued the lawyer with a denied boarding certificate. However, it only identified the cause  as "other reason" which was added to a list of four using a pen.

The other reasons for being denied a entry to a flight indicated in the form and had been crossed out include the unavailability of seats, presentation of a passenger after the flight check in time limit and presentation after the the flight boarding closing time.

Miguna Miguna had initially stated that the government had planned to stop his return through issuing red alerts against him. In this regard, he filed a petition in court to have the government compelled to lift the red alerts.

However, the High Court in Nairobi dismissed his application, ruling that there was no sufficient evidence showing that he had been stopped from returning to the country. 

The lawyer, who is now based in Canada, was kicked out of the country on grounds that he had renounced his Kenyan citizenship.

The government, through the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, asked him to regularise his papers to be allowed into the country.

Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and the President of the Law Society of Kenya, Nelson Havi, had stated that they would be travelling to ensure that they bring back Miguna to Kenya.

Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga at Spice FM during the interview on February 11, 2021.
Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga at Spice FM during the interview on February 11, 2021.
The Standard