Amb Dan Kazungu cools the heated Kenya-Tanzania border row

Amb. Dan Kazungu addressing Joirnalist in Dodoma. FILE

Dodoma
Kenya’s Ambassador to Tanzania Dan Kazungu interjects the hot debate on border reports as diplomatic row escalates over the separate measures taken by President Uhuru Kenyatta and President John Magufuli in the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.


Addressing journalists in Tanzania, Amb. Dan Kazungu said the current pandemic cannot break relations between Nairobi and Dodoma.


“Our common enemy is the coronavirus. Tanzania’s  enemy should not be Kenya and neither should Kenyans view Tanzanians as their enemies, "



" Let us focus as the main issues; which at the moment is fighting this crisis, bend the curve so that our countries emerge stronger,” said Kazungu.



Dan Kazungu defended President Kenyatta on his measures.


“This decision taken by Kenya in regards to closure of the border has been made not to punish Tanzanians but to fight this common enemy that we are all facing which is the virus,” he said.



“If we lose our people, we become be understood.”



"We first need to be understand that President Kenyatta’s directive was very clear that any truck driver from the Tanzanian side who tests negative for the virus is free to cross into Kenya and go to any location in Nairobi, Mombasa or even in Malindi. In fact we love shirts from Tanzania in Malindi,” said Kazungu.



However, Angry Tanga regional commissioner Martin Shigella, claimed Tanzanian truckers are being mistreated along the border by Kenyan officials.