Gov't Speaks on Why It Deported Miguna Miguna to Canada

The government has confirmed it has deported self-proclaimed National Resistance Movement (NRM) general Miguna Miguna from the country to Canada.

In a statement issued by Interior Ministry spokesperson Mwenda Njoka, the government said that Miguna had renounced his Kenyan citizenship before the promulgation of the new Constitution, which paved way for one to hold dual citizenship.

Njoka further said that the lawyer failed to reclaim his Kenyan citizenship after the new Constitution was enacted to allow for dual citizenship.

"Miguna denounced his Kenyan citizenship years back, acquired Canadian citizenship and never bothered to reclaim Kenyan citizenship in the legally prescribed manner neither did he disclose that he had another country’s citizenship despite being a lawyer who should have known better," Njoka said.

He added: “At the time he was working as an advisor to then then Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Prior to being illegally issued with a Kenyan passport, Miguna had been travelling using Canadian Passport No. MJ 393885 and WK 944502. Miguna renewed his Canadian passport in June 2017 just a few weeks to the general elections.”

“When Miguna acquired Kenyan passport in March 2009, he deliberately failed to disclose the fact that he had acquired citizenship of another country and therefore the Kenyan passport he acquired then was and still remains illegal,”Njoka also said.

The Ministry further said that Miguna's deportation is based on legal provisions.

“Based on the provisions of section 33(1) and 43(1) of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act, 2011," Njoka said.

Under 2010 Constitution, individuals who had renounced their Kenyan citizenship before its promulgation are required to re-apply to the Immigration department.

Miguna was forced into a KLM flight at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Tuesday evening by government authorities to Canada via Amsterdam.

However, the lawyer in a series of tweets after his deportation vowed to fight his way back to the country.

"The despots have put me in a flight to Amsterdam enroute to Toronto, departure time right now."

"Instead of taking me to court as ordered repeatedly by the courts, they seized my passports and drove me to the runaway at the JKIA from 6pm up to now," Miguna said. 

Miguna was arrested on Friday at his home in Runda estate in Nairobi and remained in police custody for several days, despite court ordering he be freed on a Sh50,000 cash bail.

Police said Miguna was arrested in connection to the swearing-in of Nasa leader Raila Odinga, being a member of NRM - which was recently declared a criminal group, and being part of an illegal assembly.