Panafrican News Agency

Tanzanian Govt calms public over xenophobic remarks by Kenyan MP

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (PANA) - Tanzania’s Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa, has called on his fellow countrymen to remain calm following an uproar over recent xenophobic remarks made by a Kenyan legislator.

Kenya’s Starehe Constituency MP, Charles Kanyi, popularly known as Jaguar, is heard in a video clip threatening foreigners, including Tanzanians, working and doing business in Kenya.

In the video that went viral on Tuesday, Kanyi was threatening to forcefully eject foreigners he accused of taking up the businesses meant for Kenyans.

In his remarks in Parliament in Tanzania’s capital, Dodoma, on Tuesday, the Premier Majaliwa said the government was in touch with the Kenyan High Commission on the matter.

His was reacting to a query by a legislator who sought the Speaker’s guidance on the need for a government statement on the safety of Tanzanians who live, work and do business in neighbouring Kenya.

However, on Tuesday evening the Kenyan government issued a statement reassuring foreigners of security and dismissed the Starehe constituency legislator’s remarks as unfortunate.

“We wish to state that this is not the position of the government of the Republic of Kenya, and we denounce the comments carried in the video in the strongest terms possible,” said the statement from government spokesperson, Cyrus Oguna.

He added: “Such comments are unfortunate and have no place in today’s globalized environment. Kenyans are peace loving people who have over the years, co-existed with others of different nationalities.”

The Kenyan legislator was heard issuing a 24-hour ultimatum to the Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang’i, to deport all Chinese nationals and other foreigners carrying out businesses in his constituency.

-0- PANA EBM/MA 26June2019