Ofure Akhigbe
Kenya has demanded assurances over the safety of its citizens caught up in the Tanzania crisis that has erupted following post-election unrest in the neighbouring country.
Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi said on Thursday that the rights of some Kenyans had been violated during the ongoing Tanzania crisis and that “formal reports” had been submitted to the Tanzanian authorities for appropriate action.
In a phone conversation with Tanzanian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, Mudavadi said he had stressed the importance of addressing the matter “through the established diplomatic and consular channels.” He reaffirmed “the importance of safeguarding the rights, safety, and dignity” of Kenyans living in Tanzania.
Kenyans residing in Tanzania have reportedly been targeted amid the Tanzania crisis, which followed last week’s disputed presidential election.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan won the poll with 98% of the vote and, during her inauguration speech, condemned the violence while blaming foreigners for stoking unrest.
In May, Mudavadi had estimated that about 250,000 Kenyans live, work, or conduct business in Tanzania.
The Tanzania crisis has drawn intense international scrutiny over the government’s handling of protests that have reportedly left hundreds of people dead. Authorities have downplayed the scale of the violence, dismissing opposition claims about the death toll as exaggerated.