November 16, 2021 is set to be the historic return date for Kenyan born and self-proclaimed Revolution General, Dr. Miguna Miguna.
Dr. Miguna will be flying back to Kenya from Canada, his current land of deportation.
The move was recently announced by the Canadian-based lawyer, Dr. Miguna, who has for a long time yearned and expressed his desire to get back to his Motherland, Kenya.
He has been outside the country for three years now, following his deportation to Canada in Feb 2018.
This came shortly after he led the controversial swearing in of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga as the “People’s President” of the Republic of Kenya.
Dr.Willy Mutunga, a former Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court of Kenya, issued a detailed statement in October 20, expressing his plans to travel to Toronto, Canada to accompany Miguna back into the country.
“After careful reflection and following broad consultations with lawyers, human rights and justice defenders, progressive politicians, and Dr. Miguna himself, I have decided to travel to Toronto, Canada, to accompany him on his flight back to his motherland on November 16, 2021.
I am also seeking out Kenyan journalists who will accompany me on this historic journey,” he said.
He went on: “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 favour of Dr. Miguna.”
He said the second reason why he decided to undertake this journey was to support and defend the independence of the judiciary, its authority, and the people’s confidence in it.
Dr. Mutunga’s statement goes further to not only give a roll call of how some of the Kenyan Government officials disobeyed the numerous court orders, but also condemns the impunity concerning the “red alerts” issued on January 6, 2020 to all International Commercial airlines against flying Dr. Miguna back to Kenya.
Dr. Mutunga says they “were issued illegally and in violation of not just his rights but also of international humanitarian and aviation laws.”
This comes after some three years of unequaled struggle to press the government into obeying the 13 court rulings (orders) in favour of Miguna, calling upon the Kenyan government to facilitate an unconditional return for Miguna back into the country.
Previous attempts to have Miguna get back into the country have thrice borne no fruits, with him being deported twice and his second attempt to come to Kenya being halted by the issuance of the aforementioned red alerts to all International Commercial Airlines.
Shortly after Dr. Mutunga’s statement, when the Africa Jurists and Judges Forum (AJJF) learnt that Miguna has plans to jet back into Kenya, it immediately expressed its support to the lawyer, urging Kenyan government to allow Miguna back into his country.
In a statement released to media houses on October 23, 2021, The Africa Jurists and Judges Forum (AJJF), said it had learnt that Mr Miguna was intending to return to the country in the company of former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga.
AJJF therefore cautioned the government against blocking the lawyer’s entry into the country.
The forum, which is based in Johannesburg, South Africa, also pointed out that the previous conducts by the Kenyan government, including the issuing of red alerts to a number of European airlines barring them from flying Mr Miguna into the country, bordered on impunity and disregard of the law.
Upon his arrival, Miguna is expected to present a petition to the Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court, at the Supreme Court Building, Nairobi.
All eyes are now fixated to the government of Kenya, waiting to see if this time around it will bow to the court orders, calls by the AJJF and the public will of his Supporters and Human Rights activists, allowing him to smoothly enter and find home in Kenya.
