DAR ES SALAAM – tanzanian authorities have charged at least 240 people with treason following post-election violence, as concerns mount over the safety of Kenyan citizens in the country. The charges stem from unrest following presidential elections held on October 25th,which saw Samia Suluhu Hassan secure a second term in office.
The unrest prompted a security crackdown, raising allegations of abuse against both Tanzanian citizens and foreign nationals. Kenya’s Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi has reaffirmed ”the importance of safeguarding the rights, safety, and dignity” of the approximately 250,000 Kenyans living in Tanzania.
Reports from Kenya indicate growing anxiety among families,with claims of Kenyans killed,injured,or detained by Tanzanian security forces. John Ogutu, a Kenyan teacher in Dar es Salaam, was shot dead by police while purchasing food, according to his sister, though rights groups report difficulties locating his body for repatriation. A doctor at Muhimbili Hospital in Dar es Salaam reported seeing vehicles marked “Municipal Burial Services” collecting bodies believed to be those of protest victims.
Kenya’s foreign affairs ministry is now collecting details on Kenyans possibly in distress in Tanzania, requesting names, addresses, and emergency contacts. Many Kenyans, notably those employed in private schools, are reportedly fleeing Tanzania following a government warning to employers against hiring individuals without valid work permits.
Election observers have criticized the polls, stating they did not meet democratic standards. President Hassan’s victory was largely unchallenged, with key opposition candidates either imprisoned or disqualified from running. Her inauguration, held at a military parade ground in Dodoma, was closed to the public.
President Hassan assumed office in 2021 following the death of President John Magufuli, initially receiving praise for easing political repression. Though, the political climate has reportedly become more restrictive as.
the situation has further strained relations between Tanzania and Kenya,both members of the Economic African Community. Diplomatic tensions arose in May following Tanzania’s treatment of kenyan observers attending the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, with several deported and activists Boniface Mwangi (Kenyan) and Agather Atuhaire (Ugandan) allegedly tortured and sexually mistreated.
