Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has criticised Kenyan human rights activists and sections of the media for what he termed excessive coverage of killings and unrest in Tanzania following the country’s disputed general elections on October 29, 2025.
His remarks came hours after fresh reports from Tanzania indicated heightened tension in Arusha, Mwanza, and Dar es Salaam, where security forces reportedly intensified operations following renewed street protests. Several regional news outlets and civil society groups said dozens of civilians were arrested today, while foreign nationals—including Kenyans—struggled to access safe corridors out of the affected towns. The Tanzanian government has denied claims of widespread violence, insisting the situation is under control.
Addressing journalists at Parliament Buildings on Tuesday, December 9, Cherargei dismissed the activists raising alarm as “busybody” political actors meddling in a sovereign nation’s affairs. He said Tanzanians must be allowed to navigate their own political crisis without interference from Kenya.
“The internal affairs of Tanzania should be handled by the people of Tanzania and their government. That is what the East African Community process is about. We should respect Tanzania as an independent and sovereign country. Their internal matters should not be subject to interference from busybody activists in Kenya,” Cherargei said.
He challenged those speaking boldly about politics in Tanzania and Uganda to “switch nationalities” if they felt more invested in those countries’ affairs. “If these activists feel they are more Tanzanian, they can take Tanzanian citizenship and push for what they intend to push,” he added.
The senator went further, daring activists to hold their press briefings in Dar es Salaam or Dodoma instead of Nairobi. “They should do it in Dar if they are men or women enough, rather than holding these events in the comfort of Nairobi,” he said.
His comments landed as hundreds of Kenyans living in Tanzania — including teachers, students and businesspeople — remained missing or stranded following security crackdowns during and after the elections. Their families, some of whom camped outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today seeking answers, accused the government of abandoning them at a moment of fear and uncertainty.
