Tanzania keen on Kenyan polls

By Jelimo Chelagat

Tanzania is keenly watching Kenya as she inches toward the March 4 general election, says Zitto Kabwe, Tanzania’s Deputy leader of opposition.

Mr Kabwe expressed that Tanzania is disappointed with the turn that political pacts are taking.

“We are disappointed that alliances are being formed on tribal lines,” said Kabwe.

He added that in Tanzania such moves would be a death card for any politician since the country shuns tribalism.

Speaking on Thursday at Standard Group’s offices on Mombasa Road when he paid a courtesy call, Kabwe stated that Kenya is a key trade partner of Tanzania and thus the events in Kenya are of importance to his country.

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Kabwe, who is the MP for Kigoma North, expressed concern that tribal tendencies could find their way to the neighbouring country. 

Citing the secessionist calls by Mombasa Republican Council which have been echoed by groups in Zanzibar as example, he said that occurrences in Kenya could spread to other areas in the East African region.

Addressing leaders, he encouraged them to embrace issue-based politics and shun the dangerously divisive politics of tribe. 

“We are watching Kenya closely… We wouldn’t like to see what happened in Kenya on 2007 again,” said Kabwe.

Though reluctant to speak on the ICC cases facing Presidential aspirants Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, Kabwe expressed that the same could not take place in Tanzania.

“If that happened in Tanzania-even if it was a civil case, one could not stand for even a parliamentary seat,” he commented.

Regional integration

Kabwe, who serves as Finance shadow minister, expressed that he fully supports region integration in East Africa.  He also said that Kenya is a key business partner, and Tanzania has benefitted greatly from trade between the two countries.

Responding to a query about xenophobia that has been leveled against Kenyans working in Tanzania, he blamed the discrimination on anti-integration groups who are serving their personal interests.

He added that there is still a lot of work to be done in integration of the East African community, especially at the grassroot level.