Peace restored at Namanga border
Residents of the Tanzania-Kenya border town of Namanga look at a blaze following a fire that was on Monday lit on the road by demonstrators, who were enraged by the deportation of Kenyans, who were allegedly living and working in Tanzania without valid permits. PHOTO | THE CITIZEN
What you need to know:
- Rioters blocked the main road and even disconnected water supply to Tanzania, protesting the arrest and deportation of their friends, who were illegally working and living in Tanzania. After talks between government leaders from both side, the protest was called off yesterday and the road reopened and water supply to the Tanzanian side resumed.
- The talks were conducted by Longido District Commissioner Daniel Chongolo and his counterparts from Kajiado County in Kenya and both sides agreed respective laws of each country should be used in seeing the end to the scuffle.
Arusha. Peace and normality yesterday returned at Namanga Border after skirmishes erupted on Monday with protesters on the side of Kenya, disrupted all activities of the busy border post.
Rioters blocked the main road and even disconnected water supply to Tanzania, protesting the arrest and deportation of their friends, who were illegally working and living in Tanzania. After talks between government leaders from both side, the protest was called off yesterday and the road reopened and water supply to the Tanzanian side resumed.
The talks were conducted by Longido District Commissioner Daniel Chongolo and his counterparts from Kajiado County in Kenya and both sides agreed respective laws of each country should be used in seeing the end to the scuffle.
Police from Kenya were forced to use teargas to disperse rioters from Kenya, who wanted to retaliate.
The rioters, most of who were protesting to force the authorities in Kenya to deport Tanzanians, who were illegally working in Kenya.
Speaking to residents of Namanga Border, Mr Daniel Chongolo, urged the residents to continue with their daily activities because the situation had returned to normal.
“I have met with leaders from the other side of the border and we have resolved the issue. You should continue with your activities because everything is under control,” assured Mr Chongolo. He added that during the meeting they had agreed that the residents, who were living near the border should follow immigration laws of the two countries.
For his part, Namanga councillor Hassan Ngoma said some of the Tanzanians, who fled Kenya after the eruption of the chaos had started returning to their working stations.
“People from both sides of the border should continue cooperating just like before the eruption of the chaos. We are all Africans so there is no need to fight or segregate one another,” said Mr Ngoma.
