Lufthansa's response exposes government's dishonesty on Miguna Miguna return

The Government of Kenya's promise to abide by multiple court orders requiring it to facilitate the return of forcefully exiled lawyer Miguna Miguna appears to have been a well-choreographed move meant to confuse the public.

This has emerged after Lufthansa clarified that it the red alert issued against Miguna, by the Government of Kenya, only came recently after the lawyer booked the ticket with them.

The German airline said it had complied with procedures that require all airlines to send details of passengers who have booked a plane ticket to Kenya.

The airline added that after sending the data, the Kenyan government ordered Miguna to be blocked from boarding.

" Dear Elijah, the Kenyan Authorities require airlines to send passenger data to them in advance before every flight departs to Kenya. In the case of this passenger, they requested that Lufthansa deny boarding. However, we are trying to help him in whatever way we can," Lufthansa said while responding to a concerned Kenyan.

The response revealed a clear double speak on the part of the government which had released multiple press statements assuring Kenyans that it would abide by court orders requiring it to return Miguna's passport and allow him to passage as a Kenyan citizen.

Statement by Immigration

As late as yesterday, the Directorate of Immigration released a rare public statement promising to allow Miguna's entry to Kenya.

Government spokesman Col Cyrus Oguna had also indicated the government's intention to allow the lawyer to return as per the direction of President Uhuru Kenyatta.

On Tuesday, Oguna claimed that the red alert had been issued after Miguna was deported by the response by Lufthansa suggests the red alert came recently, possibly in the past 24 hours in anticipation of Miguna's flight which was set to leave Frankfurt on Tuesday morning.

“I forewarned everyone yesterday not to believe the obvious damage control press statement, yesterday. Its aim was just to distract the gullible Kenyan media from reporting the contents of Justice Korir’s court orders that was issued yesterday.”

"Lufthansa has stated that it is ready to transport me to Kenya when the READ ALERT has been formally cancelled or withdrawn by the illegitimate Government of Kenya. But as of now, despite lies peddled via social media and press statements, the RED ALERT has not been cancelled," Miguna said after he was left stranded in Frankfurt at a time when Oguna was telling the Kenyan media that the activist was free to come to Kenya.

"The president’s clearance supersedes any other order, the (red alert) is an issue that can be sorted out by the Foreign Affairs ministry," Oguna stated.