Kenyan FM appeals for good neighbourliness amid Tanzania trade spat

09 Novembre 2017

Nairobi, Kenya, November 9 (Infosplusgabon) - Kenyan foreign minister Amina Mohamed has appealed to the Tanzanian government to consider keeping good relations following the auction of cows and the burning of chicks imported from Kenya into Tanzania.

“We are neighbours forever. An act committed against us will not change the fact that we remain neighbours. We must stand together,” Mohamed told reporters on Wednesday.

Tanzanian authorities recently seized some 1,300 heads of cattle belonging to the Masai from Kenya, which crossed the border into Tanzania in search of pasture before an auction.

The auction of the cows has heightened tension between the two neighbouring countries.

Tanzanian President John Magufuli was quoted in the media saying the large swathes of land in Tanzania was not grazing land for cattle from neighbouring countries.

Kenya has issued a diplomatic protest note against the Tanzanian government for the seizure of the cattle.

Tanzanian health authorities also seized and burnt over 6,500 freshly hatched chicks from Kenya, igniting an uproar among Kenyan social media users.

Kenya said while Tanzania was punishing the Kenyan cattle herders for crossing the border, Tanzanian herders were constantly crossing the Kenyan border without consequences.

“It would be difficult to tell herders not to cross the border. We have had lots of Tanzanian cattle also crossing the Kenyan border,” Mohamed said.

Kenya and Tanzania have had a series of diplomatic rows in the past few months.

The two countries previously tussled over air frequencies, granting access to tour vans ferrying tourists to the various national parks in  the respective countries and access to airports.

In recent weeks, the two countries have also had a deepening row over cooking gas exports, importation of wheat, milk and maize.

“We hopefully can resolve these issues. We have had a good history,” Mohamed said.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/UIH/ GABON 2017

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