[Tanzanian President John Magufuli with Uhuru Kenyatta in a past event. Uhuru hit indirectly at Dar es salaam’s strict border rules. Photo/Nation]
In a jibe indirectly directed to neighbouring Tanzania, President Uhuru Kenyatta now says all East African citizens will be treated like Kenyans when making transactions in the country.
Not only to Kenya, Dar es Salaam authorities have been at loggerheads with East African citizens with movement at border point met with stiff restrictions.
“Today, I am directing all African visiting Kenya that they will be issued with Visa at entry. East African citizens will be allowed to work in Kenya without work permit,” Uhuru said.
Despite confirming attendance to Uhuru’s inauguration, Magufuli, a close ally of opposition leader Raila Odinga, instead delegated his deputy Samia Hassan to attend the event that was grazed by at least 10 heads of state.
Recently, Magufuli impounded cattle belonging to Kenyan herders and subsequently auctioned them, a move that almost caused a diplomatic row.
“Tanzania is not a grazing ground to foreigners. If Tanzanians come to your country and commit crimes, kindly charge them according to the law,” he said, apparently in reference to Kenya.
Similar complaints and Tanzania’s restrictions in border have been reported with Kampala authorities rising concerns.
“We have good bilateral relations with Tanzania, so I am going to raise the issues with authorities and even at EAC level,” Ugandan Trade Minister Amelia Kyambadde told angry traders using Mutukula border point.
Prior to Uhuru’s inauguration, Magufuli is said to have met Odinga in Zanzibar with details of their meeting remaining scanty.
But the move by Uhuru could pile pressure on Tanzania to drop some of strict trans- border rules which are allegedly derailing cooperation within EAC.