American freelance journalist Margot Kiser has sued the Kenyan government over her alleged deportation, which she links to her reporting on the Shakahola cult deaths.

The suit names the Ministry of Interior and the Directorate of Immigration and alleges violations of her constitutional rights, the International Press Association of East Africa (IPAEA) said in a statement reported by Kenyans.co.ke.

Removed from Mombasa

Kiser says that on 10 October 2025, officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, accompanied by armed police, removed her from her home in Mombasa.

"They seized my phones, laptops and other devices, denied me access to a lawyer or even my son," she said.

She was taken to Nairobi and put on an Emirates flight to New York. "I got off in Dubai and stayed there," she said.

Permit, then a ban

Kiser was later granted a Class K residence permit. But on 8 March 2026 she was denied entry to Kenya and learned she had been declared a prohibited immigrant. She argues that both her removal and the denial of entry despite a valid permit were unlawful.

The government has argued that her activities threatened the country's moral fabric and national security. Kiser says no evidence has been provided to support that claim.

The Shakahola link

Kiser had been covering the Shakahola killings linked to preacher Paul Mackenzie. She reportedly raised concerns with the Department of Children's Services about young children, including Mackenzie's own, allegedly being made to fast.

On 19 October 2026, the High Court in Mombasa convicted Mackenzie and his co-accused on all 191 murder counts. Sentencing is set for 6 November.

Press freedom concerns

The IPAEA has asked the government to explain the circumstances of Kiser's deportation and to guarantee that journalists can work safely and freely in Kenya. The government had not responded publicly to the suit by the time of publication.

Photos: Kenyans.co.ke