Uhuru shows ‘soft side’ in his recent visit to Tanzania

President Uhuru Kenyatta with President of Tanzania John Pombe Magufuli during a two-day private visit at the invitation of Magufuli.[PSCU]

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s weekend visit to Tanzania was seen as possible thawing of tensions between the two neighbouring nations.

But it was the show of Uhuru’s softer side that captured many’s imagination. He touched many hearts with his solemn prayer for the quick recovery of Mama Suzana Magufuli, the mother of his Tanzanian host, President John Pombe Magufuli.

President Uhuru who visited Magufuli’s mother’s home during the two-day visit to Chato, Geita, held Magufuli’s hand, then said a brief prayer.

Magufuli described Uhuru as a close friend and offered to send some prized peacocks he has reared on his farm to Nairobi as a gift to the Kenyan leader.

Earlier, on arrival in Tanzania, the president extolled the good relations between the two nations which he said should not be rocked by utterances of a few people who did not appreciate the need for co-existence.

The statement was a rebuke to threats by a Kenyan lawmaker who has since been charged in court. Belgut MP, Nelson Koech, who is a member of the Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee in Parliament praised Uhuru for his efforts to strengthen relations between Kenya and Tanzania.

“I think the animosity was taking an undesirable direction and what the two presidents did was in the best interest of our people. I am quite certain that it would have escalated,” Koech said.

 “The issue had even found its way to the floor of the Tanzanian parliament where if you heard what was said then you will appreciate what the two heads of state did,” he said.

He said the visit would help ease tensions between the two neighbours. 

“I would be interested in knowing what our leaders put in place to cure the historical trade wars between our countries which occasionally causes tension like the one we have now,” the MP.

It was all solidarity and comradeship when Uhuru visited Magufuli’s home next to Lake Victoria.

Uhuru was hosted at Magufuli’s home in Mlimani, Chato in northwestern region of Geita.

Business threats

The visit came at a time when the two countries experienced tension following threats on Tanzanians doing business in Nairobi.

The threats last week sparked a heated debate in the Tanzanian Parliament where legislators threatened diplomatic action against Kenya.

Despite this, the two presidents displayed a deep sense of friendship. The two hugged and warmly shook hands when Uhuru arrived at Chato Airport on Friday.

In his speech, Uhuru said Kenyans and Tanzanians  should freely visiting each other, do business and even intermarry

“The way to get rid of corruption and boundaries is through intermarriage, this way a child would not care whether he is from Kenya, Tanzania, Chato or Isibania, he would just see himself a child from East Africa,” he said.

Uhuru took a swipe at  threats against Tanzanian traders in Nairobi.

“Someone only knows where he lives, has not left his village and he thinks the world ends there, and you hear some of them running their mouths as they speak on non-issues. How do you tell a Tanzanian not to do business in Kenya?” posed the President.

He said his unofficial visit was meant to break the ice before another official visit.

“Our biggest concern is to build the economies of our countries; to eliminate the problems facing Kenyans and Tanzanians; to do business,” said Magufuli.

At the close of the visit, President Kenyatta and his host vowed to deal firmly with insecurity and  cross-border crimes.

The two leaders said citizens of either country will be subject to the laws of the country where they commit the crime. 

“If a Tanzanian commits a crime in Kenya, they will be subjected to Kenyan law. And if a Kenyan commits a crime in Tanzania, they will be dealt with in accordance with our laws,” said  Magufuli.