CHADEMA Diaspora has issued a strong statement condemning the blocking of Hon. John Heche, the party’s National Vice Chair, from crossing into Kenya to attend Raila Odinga’s burial.

In a detailed statement released on October 18, 2025, CHADEMA dismissed a claim by Tanzania’s Immigration Department that Heche “left the country without following procedures,” describing it as false, misleading and politically driven.

According to the statement, Heche presented his valid passport at the Sirari One Stop Border Post and informed officers that he was traveling to Kenya for Raila Odinga’s funeral. Immigration officials allegedly confiscated his passport and attempted to detain him without a warrant or clear explanation.

The CHADEMA Diaspora said the move violated Article 17(1) of Tanzania’s Constitution, which guarantees freedom of movement, as well as the East African Community Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons, which allows Tanzanians to enter Kenya without a visa for humanitarian reasons such as funerals.

The statement called on authorities to return Heche’s passport immediately and urged the government to stop using state institutions to intimidate opposition figures. It added that Heche’s experience highlights growing concerns about political harassment and shrinking civic space in the region.

Meanwhile, the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga was laid to rest on Sunday, October 19, during a state funeral ceremony held at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) in Bondo.