Embakasi East Member of Parliament (MP) Babu Owino has disclosed that he is currently listed as a wanted person in both Tanzania and Uganda, which has resulted in travel restrictions preventing him from visiting the two East African countries.
Speaking in an interview, Babu Owino shared his recent experience when he was detained for three hours at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
According to the lawmaker, his passport details flagged him as a wanted individual in Tanzania’s immigration records, placing him on the INTERPOL list of wanted persons.
“I recently traveled to Tanzania, and upon landing at Dar es Salaam airport, I presented my passport for clearance, only to be informed that my name appeared on the Interpol wanted list. As a result, I was denied entry,” Owino explained.
“I was detained for about three hours, yet I have never committed any crime there not even something as trivial as stealing a chicken.”
Babu Owino also revealed that he faces a similar situation in Uganda, where he is banned from entering the country entirely.
“Even in Uganda, I am banned and cannot step foot in the country,” he said, expressing frustration over the travel restrictions.
The MP questioned the reasons behind the restrictions, pointing out that he had no business dealings in either Tanzania or Uganda, but did acknowledge that Tanzania’s tax policies were more favorable than Kenya’s.
“What are these things we are trying to do as leaders? Do I need anything in Tanzania that I can’t find in Kenya?
But I must say that Tanzania is doing better than us because their taxes are reasonable,” he added.
The travel ban and the accusations surrounding Babu Owino’s name surfaced after Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni publicly accused the MP of collaborating with individuals opposed to his government.
Speaking at the launch of Raila Odinga’s African Union Commission (AUC) candidacy in August last year, Museveni stated that Babu Owino had become a subject of regular intelligence briefings, alleging that the MP was involved with anti-Uganda groups.
“There are some individuals in Raila’s group who I don’t think know what they are doing,” Museveni said at the time.
“I am a consumer of intelligence services, so I regularly review intelligence reports. One name that frequently comes up is Babu Owino.
I have seen him involved with groups that are anti-Uganda and anti-NIM (National Resistance Movement). I had never accused him before, but now I am accusing him.”
Babu Owino has made his views on Ugandan political events clear on several occasions, notably condemning the arrest of opposition leader Bobi Wine by President Museveni’s security forces.
His vocal stance on Ugandan politics, combined with his affiliations, appear to have contributed to the tense relationship between him and Ugandan authorities.
Despite the travel restrictions, Babu Owino’s comments reflect his ongoing frustration with the political climate in the region, while also calling attention to the impact that such travel bans are having on his political engagement and diplomatic relations within East Africa.
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