Brian Kagoro barred from Nairobi flight despite court order

Zimbabwean lawyer and human rights advocate Brian Kagoro was prevented from traveling to Nairobi after being removed from a flight in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) reported that Kagoro was removed from the aircraft and questioned by security personnel, preventing him from continuing his journey to Kenya.

This incident follows Kagoro’s deportation from Kenya in February 2026, which Kenyan officials claimed was due to his involvement in a foreign-funded operation to destabilize the government. However, a Kenyan High Court later declared that deportation illegal, paving the way for his return. PALU expressed deep concern regarding the removal, noting that it occurred despite an existing court order directing that Kagoro be granted entry into the country. Kagoro serves as the Africa Director of the Open Society Foundations.