Kenya and Tanzania have opened fresh diplomatic engagements to address concerns over the treatment of Kenyan nationals living and working in Tanzania, as trade, labour, and social movement between the two countries continues to deepen.
- •In a statement issued Thursday, Prime Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi held consultations with Tanzanian Foreign Affairs Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo to discuss the welfare of Kenyans in Tanzania, including reported cases of rights violations.
- •Kenya has formally forwarded the affected cases to Tanzania for review, according to the statement.
- •The renewed consular engagement also coincides with heightened political sensitivity in Tanzania following recent election-related disputes.
Mudavadi underscored the contribution of Kenyan professionals and businesspeople to the Tanzanian economy, noting that the two governments must ensure that citizens operating lawfully enjoy full legal protection. Tanzania, in response, reaffirmed that foreign nationals engaging in legitimate activities will continue to be protected under its laws.
Both countries agreed to handle emerging concerns through established diplomatic and consular channels in line with East African Community (EAC) protocols.
The talks come against the backdrop of expanding trade between the two neighbours, driven by ongoing efforts to remove non-tariff barriers along key border points such as Namanga and Holili.
Tanzania is among Kenya’s largest trading partners in the EAC, with the flow of goods between the two countries increasing steadily over recent years. Kenya primarily exports manufactured products to Tanzania—including pharmaceuticals, processed foods, cement, and household goods—while Tanzania supplies Kenya with products such as maize, rice, clinker, textiles, and electricity when seasonal demand rises.
Trade has also been boosted by improvements in cross-border transport infrastructure and joint efforts to streamline customs procedures. The use of One Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) has reduced clearance delays and supported the movement of small-scale cross-border traders, many of whom are women.
However, periodic frictions have emerged over market access, taxation, and regulatory enforcement, especially in agriculture, livestock movement, and retail trade. Analysts say such disputes are not unusual between neighbouring economies with similar production structures and overlapping markets.
Such periods often see tighter internal security controls, which can inadvertently affect foreign residents, particularly in border and commercial towns.
Mudavadi said Kenya remains committed to strengthening bilateral cooperation and advancing the EAC integration agenda.
He added that the Kenyan government continues to work closely with its High Commission in Dar es Salaam to support citizens living in Tanzania and encouraged those facing challenges to report cases through official channels.
