How Miguna Was Deported: The Untold Story

 The details of how Miguna was removed from Kenya have remained shrouded in mystery. So far, it’s been a case of Miguna’s word against the Kenyan government’s, with no independent party to confirm exactly what transpired. However, new information allows us to piece together the events, including the failed first attempt to deport him.

Let’s start there. Many Kenyans have criticized Emirates Airlines for its role, but it’s important to understand a crucial aviation rule: when an airline brings an "unwanted passenger" into a country, it becomes their responsibility to remove them. Airlines face heavy penalties and tight deadlines in such situations, which explains Emirates' predicament in Miguna's case.

During the first deportation attempt, the government had prepared Miguna’s removal well in advance, even as they pretended to negotiate with him. Emirates staff knew to expect Miguna, and his boarding pass was ready, but he was nowhere to be found. The airline captain repeatedly tried to contact the immigration officer in charge, Mr. Maithya, but his calls went unanswered. Eventually, the plane began to taxi for takeoff, but immigration officials called the control tower, and the plane was recalled.

What followed was a tense standoff. Video footage circulating on social media shows Miguna being forcibly pushed towards the aircraft as impatient Emirates staff waited. Miguna resisted, creating a scene, while a government lawyer, not captured on camera, allegedly issued threats to the airline’s captain, warning of consequences for bringing a "persona non grata" into Kenya. However, the captain refused to yield, citing safety concerns, including the potential risks posed by an agitated passenger to others onboard. Ultimately, Miguna was taken off the plane, and the flight departed without him.

After this failure, the government quickly regrouped for a second attempt. This time, they secured emergency travel documents from the Canadian embassy in Nairobi to comply with Emirates’ rules. Miguna’s lawyers were denied access to him, and the government took extreme measures to ensure the operation’s success. Miguna was reportedly rendered unconscious and transported to the plane under heavy security.

Six men struggled to carry the unconscious Miguna up the aircraft stairs, as the area was tightly secured to prevent onlookers. Emirates staff were forbidden from taking photographs, with threats of severe consequences for disobedience. Miguna was seated on the plane, accompanied by two men identified as Seco Bernard Juma and Dorota Timothy Covell. Passengers then boarded, and the flight departed without incident.

This saga highlights significant concerns about how emotionally charged decisions by the government have backfired, with Miguna consistently outmaneuvering them. It’s a troubling story, illustrating the lengths to which officials went to deport a Kenyan-born citizen. Hopefully, with this account, Miguna himself can uncover details of what transpired while he was unconscious.