Willy Mutunga to Travel to Canada to Bring Back Miguna Miguna

Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has announced he will be traveling to Canada to bring back lawyer Miguna Miguna, who was deported in 2018.

Mutunga in a statement on Wednesday said he will return to the country with Miguna on November 16th as he condemned the government for disobeying court orders issued in favor of the Kenyan-Canadian attorney.

“I have taken this extraordinary step for two fundamental reasons. The first is because of the continued, flagrant and reprehensible defiance of the Government of Kenya, its agencies, and senior officials, against the numerous valid court orders in favor of Mr. Miguna,” Mutunga stated.

“The second reason why I have decided to undertake this journey is to support and defend the independence of our judiciary, its authority, and the people’s confidence in it.”

Mutunga, who served as Kenya’s Chief Justice between 2011 and 2016, urged members of the legal profession, human rights activists, journalists, and Kenyans at large to “join us as we take a stand against the culture of impunity, lawlessness and barbarism that is slowly creeping upon us.”

Ahead of his trip to Canada, Mutunga issued seven demands to the government to ensure Miguna’s smooth return on November 16th.

He demanded that the government immediately and unconditionally withdraws the red alerts that it has issued against Miguna and allow airlines to fly him to Kenya; publicly apologizes to Miguna and all Kenyans for the violations of the constitution and the contempt of court, and complies fully with all court orders including those regarding reparations and costs; ensure that Miguna Miguna is not removed from the plane before or after it lands at JKIA; ensure that no security and immigration officers block Miguna’s entry at JKIA or at any other port of entry; and comply with the notice that will be given to the Inspector General of Police not to interfere with, disrupt or threaten Kenyans who travel to JKIA to receive Miguna.

Mutunga also wants the government to ensure that Miguna’s rights are safeguarded, including his right to be issued with a valid Kenyan Passport, his right to free speech, association, assembly, and travel, and to be safe from arbitrary arrest, detention, harassment, threats, intimidation, and abuse.