Kenya Demands Safety for Citizens Amid Tanzania’s Post-Election Crackdown

Who Would Ever Believe This Woman Will Become Another Africa’s Political Monster?

Kenya has called on Tanzania to guarantee the safety of its citizens following reports that Kenyans have been targeted in a violent post-election crackdown.

Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Musalia Mudavadi, said he had formally raised the issue with his Tanzanian counterpart, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, after receiving reports of rights violations against Kenyans during the unrest that followed Tanzania’s disputed election.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan won the poll with 98% of the vote, but her victory was marred by protests and allegations of excessive force by security agencies. International observers and rights groups say hundreds have died, though Tanzanian authorities deny the figures and blame foreigners for inciting unrest.

Mudavadi reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to using diplomatic channels to resolve the issue but stressed the need to protect the rights, safety, and dignity of Kenyans living in Tanzania. He noted that about 250,000 Kenyans reside or work there.

Reports indicate that some Kenyans have been killed, injured, or detained, while others have fled the country amid fear and harassment. One Kenyan teacher, John Ogutu, was allegedly shot dead by police in Dar es Salaam, and his body has yet to be recovered.

Kenya’s Foreign Ministry has urged families of citizens in distress to provide contact details to aid consular support, acknowledging growing public concern over its slow response.

Human rights activist Hussein Khalid accused Tanzanian authorities of using Kenyans as scapegoats for abuses committed during the protests. Meanwhile, Tanzania continues to defend the election’s legitimacy and has restricted employment for foreigners without valid work permits.

Diplomatic tensions between the two East African nations have deepened, following earlier disputes over the treatment of Kenyans observing the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, when several were deported or allegedly mistreated.