Tanzania responds to Kenya ‘protest’

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania has defended the burning of imported chicks and confiscation of cattle from Kenya.

The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Prof Adolf Mkenda, stated that Tanzania was right to do so.

He also said that had nothing to do with the so-called trade dispute between the two East African Community member states.

The government has circulated a statement to all neighbouring states to notify them that livestock entering Tanzania illegally will be confiscated.

According to Prof Mkenda, the aim is to prevent diseases transmitted by livestock.

In a telephone interview with The Citizen on Friday, he also said it was not the first time for Tanzania to burn smuggled chicks although he could not remember the exact date.

He said the chicks were imported from Malawi and were seized at the Julius Nyerere International Airport.

According to him, contrary to reports that a request by the owner of the burnt chicks to allow her to send the birds back to Kenya was rejected, the fact was that Kenyan authorities would have turned down her plea because she had no documents.

“Every country has its regulations on livestock importation. When we seized the chicks at Namanga we asked the owner to provide documents but she didn’t have any. So, we destroyed them because Kenya authorities wouldn’t allow them to be returned. This isn’t a trade war as some people claim; we are only following legal procedures.”

However, he hopes that ongoing talks between the countries will resolve the problem.

“Tanzania delegates will meet their Kenya counterparts in Mombasa at the end of this month. Some issues have already been resolved and I am optimistic that the remaining will also be resolved.”

Kenya formally protested to Tanzania over what it termed as a “policy shift that condones hostile actions against its citizens and their business interests”.

Foreign Affairs Political and Diplomatic secretary Tom Amolo criticised Tanzania’s destruction of chicks imported from Kenya as well as the auction of animals from Kenyan herders without involving the Nairobi authorities.

He said such actions risked soiling relations between the two countries.

The move followed the summoning of Tanzanian High Commissioner Pindi Chana.

The issue erupted after Tanzania burnt 6,400 chicks imported from Kenya, apparently to prevent the spread of bird flu.

More than 2,000 cattle from Tanzania were also seized by Maasai pastoralists in Kajiado early this month.