Kenya’s government has urged Tanzania to ensure the safety of Kenyans caught up in the chaos following last week’s disputed presidential election.
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Musalia Mudavadi, said Kenyans living in Tanzania have complained of being singled out during a harsh security crackdown on protests. Tanzania’s President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, was declared the winner of the election with a sweeping 98% vote, a result that triggered demonstrations and accusations of electoral fraud.
During her swearing-in speech, President Hassan blamed the tension on “foreign actors,” claiming they were stirring violence in the country.
Mudavadi revealed that Kenya has submitted “official complaints” to Tanzanian authorities about violations against its citizens and has asked for immediate action. After speaking with Tanzania’s Foreign Minister, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, Mudavadi explained that both countries agreed to deal with the matter through formal diplomatic and consular procedures.
He emphasized that Kenya remains committed to defending “the rights, safety, and dignity” of its nationals wherever they are.Roughly 250,000 Kenyans are believed to live, work, or run businesses in Tanzania.
Meanwhile, Tanzania’s government is coming under increasing pressure from the international community over reports of extreme force used on protesters. There are claims that hundreds of people have been killed, but officials in Dodoma have rejected those figures, saying the numbers are “highly exaggerated.”
A spokesperson for Tanzania’s police earlier stated that some foreigners had entered the country illegally “with the intention of committing crimes and creating unrest.”
Back in Kenya, several families say they can no longer reach their relatives in Tanzania. Others report that family members have been injured, arrested, or killed, allegedly by Tanzanian security forces.
