Kenya expels Zimbabwean lawyer over alleged protest funding

Booting Brian Bright Kagoro out of Kenya just cranked up tensions around foreign meddling and protest politics in a big way.

Security dragnet at JKIA

• Brian Bright Kagoro got grabbed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on February 22, 2026.
• Immigration officers hauled Kagoro into hours-long questioning before branding him persona non grata.
• Authorities then shoved him onto the next departing flight out.

Alleged funding scheme for protests

• Kenyan intelligence claims Kagoro was bankrolling a protest-revival push.
• Investigators say a six-month probe tied him to a foreign-backed operation.
• Officials allege he pledged Sh150 million for fresh street action.
• That cash was supposedly aimed at reigniting the 2024 youth-led demonstrations.

Background of the 2024 unrest

• Youth-driven rallies in 2024 hammered the government over tax hikes.
• Social media fueled those protests, forcing a tax policy climbdown.
• Public anger centered on rising living costs across Kenya.

Kagoro pushes back on claims

• During questioning, Brian Bright Kagoro insisted his trip was personal and work-related.
• He said family matters and a minerals-and-AI conference brought him in.
• Kagoro admitted knowing civil-society figures but rejected protest-coordination claims.

Donor ties and a long history in Nairobi

• Security agencies flagged Kagoro’s connections to Open Society Foundations.
• Politicians have accused George Soros-funded networks of local interference.
• As co-founder of Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, Kagoro spent years in regional governance circles.
• Officials warned that suspected political meddlers will face bans or expulsion.