Musoma. Forty-six days after the Special Police Unit of Tarime/Rorya in Mara Region announced the arrest of a US soldier holding dual Kenyan and US citizenship with explosives described as dangerous, the suspect’s fate remains unclear.
According to a police statement issued on November 16, 2025, the suspect, Mr Charles Onkuri Ongeta (30), was arrested at 12noon in the Sirari area on the Tanzania–Kenya border, coming from Kenya into Tanzania with CS M68-type explosives.
The statement indicated that immediately after his arrest, the police began a thorough investigation and promised further action once it was completed.
However, to date, no official statement has been issued regarding actions taken against the suspect.
For several days, The Citizen's sister newspaper Mwananchi sought to reach Commander Njera for information on the investigation’s progress, but calls made on December 20, 2025 and twice on January 2, 2026 were unanswered.
Even text messages and WhatsApp messages received no response.
Nevertheless, further efforts to contact Police Spokesperson, Mr David Misime to discuss the matter also failed, as his phone went unanswered.
When the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mr Ramadhan Kingai, was asked about the investigation into the soldier’s case, he said the Tarime/Rorya RPC should be contacted for comment.
When informed that the RPC’s phone was unreachable, he said efforts should continue.
Initial police reports indicated that Mr Ongeta, a US Army Sergeant, was travelling in a Toyota Land Cruiser with registration number KDP 502Y, accompanied by his family.
In early interviews, he claimed his family was heading to Shirati, Rorya District, to visit his aunt.
Social and security analyst Fazel Janja said it is important for authorities to carry out a thorough investigation before drawing any conclusions.
“We should not rush to judgment. We need to understand this individual’s intentions, why he came armed, and whether he had accomplices inside or outside the country,” he said.
Mr Janja stressed that, according to diplomatic protocols, soldiers are not allowed to enter another country armed without authorisation, and Mr Ongeta’s actions could be interpreted as an invasion.
He also emphasised that before handing him over to the US, Tanzania must ensure the investigation is fully concluded.
Another security analyst, Mr Chrisant Nyakitita, praised the police for arresting the suspect and called on citizens to cooperate in safeguarding national peace.
“Every Tanzanian has a duty to protect the nation’s peace and security. We must not allow anything that could push the country into turmoil,” he said.
Musoma Municipal resident Samuel Bwana said the incident highlights the need to strengthen border security and monitoring.
“We should not assume everyone has good intentions. Incidents like this should serve as a lesson to remain vigilant and prevent enemies from exploiting existing gaps,” he said.
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