The safety of Kenyans caught up in post-election violence in neighbouring Tanzania must be guaranteed, Kenya's foreign minister has told his Tanzanian counterpart.
Kenyan citizens are living in fear in Tanzania after being reportedly targeted in a brutal crackdown on the protests that followed last week's disputed election.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan won the poll with 98% of the vote - and in her inauguration speech condemned the violence and blamed foreigners for stoking the unrest.
Kenya's Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi said the rights of some Kenyans had been violated and that 'formal reports' had been submitted to the Tanzanian authorities 'for appropriate action'.
During a phone conversation, Mudavadi mentioned to Tanzanian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo that concerns would be 'addressed through the established diplomatic and consular channels'.
However, he reaffirmed 'the importance of safeguarding the rights, safety, and dignity' of Kenyans living in Tanzania.
In May, Mudavadi mentioned that approximately 250,000 Kenyans lived, worked, or did business in Tanzania.
The Tanzanian government has come under intense international scrutiny for allegedly using excessive force to quell post-election protests, reportedly leaving hundreds dead.
Critics assert that the government is downplaying the scale of the violence and dismisses the opposition's death toll as exaggerated.
Earlier a Tanzanian police spokesman stated that they had intelligence about some foreigners crossing the border intending to incite crimes, including unrest.
Concerns are heightening within Kenyan families for their relatives in Tanzania as reports indicate some Kenyans have been killed, injured, or detained, with injuries allegedly inflicted by Tanzanian security officers.
Kenyan human rights activist Hussein Khalid has urged the government to expedite measures for protection, stating that Tanzanian authorities are using Kenyans as 'scapegoats for the atrocities committed by police against Tanzanians'.
'Kenyans in Tanzania are not safe. They are being targeted and harassed,' Khalid told the Daily Nation.
One instance involves John Ogutu, a Kenyan teacher who was shot dead by police in Dar es Salaam, with his family struggling to trace his body for repatriation.
There's further evidence of deaths during the protests, as vehicles labeled 'Municipal Burial Services' have been reportedly collecting bodies from protest sites.
The Kenyan Foreign Affairs Ministry has requested the contact information of Kenyans facing distress in Tanzania to ensure their safety and well-being.
Public concerns are growing regarding the government's response speed in tracing missing Kenyans amid the unrest.
Many, particularly those working in private schools, are reportedly fleeing Tanzania following government warnings that employers should not hire individuals lacking work permits.
Election observers have criticized the recent polls as falling short of democratic standards, while the government insists the election was fair.
President Samia faced little opposition, with key rival candidates either imprisoned or barred from running.
Her inauguration was held at a military venue rather than a stadium as in previous years, reflecting the tension surrounding her leadership.
President Samia, Tanzania's first female president, had initially received praise for easing political repression but has faced criticism for a narrowing political scope since taking office in 2021.
Tanzania and Kenya, integral members of the Economic African Community, have experienced political and economic tensions periodically.
Diplomatic relations had previously soured due to Tanzania's treatment of Kenyans involved in observing political trials in Dar es Salaam.
Reports indicate that several observers were deported, and activists were subjected to mistreatment, raising the stakes for ongoing interactions between the two neighboring nations.
