Kenya deports Zimbabwean lawyer and activist Brian Kagoro over alleged role in planned unrest

Kenya deports Zimbabwean lawyer and activist Brian Kagoro over alleged role in planned unrest
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Kenyan authorities have deported Zimbabwean constitutional lawyer and civic activist Brian Bright Kagoro, alleging he was involved in a foreign-backed effort to mobilise political unrest through organised protests.

Kagoro, who is managing director of programmes at Open Society Foundations (OSF) Africa, was reportedly declared persona non grata and removed from the country late Sunday after being detained and questioned for several hours by immigration and security officials. He was escorted out via Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, officials said.

Kenyan security agencies said the decision followed what they described as a months-long investigation into an alleged coordinated plan to mobilise political dissent in the country by exploiting economic pressures and youth activism.

Capital FM in Kenya, citing unnamed officials who were not authorised to speak publicly, reported that Kagoro made several trips to Nairobi in 2025 and allegedly undertook to help raise about US$1.2 million to support activist networks.

Authorities claim the funds were intended to revive the youth-led protests that took place in 2024 and led to the government dropping proposed tax increases after weeks of nationwide demonstrations, which were largely organised via social media.

Organisers of the 2024 protests have previously denied receiving foreign funding, saying the movement was grassroots-driven.

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A senior security official, quoted by Capital FM, said intelligence gathered over six months pointed to what authorities believe was a deliberate strategy to manufacture unrest. “We have evidence, gathered painstakingly over the last six months, that indicates a calculated attempt to engineer civil disorder,” the official said.

Kenya’s government has warned that foreign nationals suspected of interfering in the country’s internal political processes may be denied entry, monitored or expelled.

During questioning, Kagoro reportedly denied the allegations and told investigators his trip was for personal reasons and professional engagements. Capital FM reported he said he had travelled to attend a family event and to participate in a conference focused on critical minerals and artificial intelligence.

Although he reportedly acknowledged long-standing relationships with Kenyan civil society organisations, Kagoro denied coordinating protests or financing political activity, the broadcaster said.

Security agencies nevertheless allege that some of his public engagements, including appearances at a judiciary accountability forum and a technology innovation event, were used to broaden activist networks.

Investigators also referenced Kagoro’s links to OSF, an international philanthropic organisation that has faced criticism from some Kenyan political figures who accuse foreign donors of interfering in domestic politics.

Kagoro is a co-founder of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition and has spent years working in Nairobi, where he became known in regional governance, democracy and civic advocacy circles. Security officials also claimed he participated in encrypted messaging platforms and said he was being examined for possible links to election-related unrest in Tanzania, though no evidence was provided publicly to support that allegation.

Bindura Eye could not independently verify the claims made by anonymous officials, and no court documents or official deportation order were provided in the material available at the time of publication.

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