The Tanzanian President Pombe Maghufuli ordered the deportation of all Kenyan immigrants in Tanzania. The order was to take effect from today. Many people who did not have proper documents in Tanzania were forced to leave the country in the next 48 hours even if they had been married for 50 years.
At Namanga, Kenyans demonstrated and claimed the move was inhumane. The Tanzanian president insisted that the order will continue no matter what. Many people who were married in Tanzania and did not have marriage certificates also were deported.
The move of President Magufuli to take away neighbours with proper documents will allow the Tanzanian youth to get back their jobs. The youths in the neighbourhood have been complaining about jobs lost to massive numbers of Kenyans migrating to Tanzania.
Kajiado County Commissioner Harsama Kello said the demonstrations began at the border, Namanga, after Tanzanian authorities arrested three Kenyans last Friday and arraigned them for being in the country illegally. “Countries carry out routine checks. Our people should respect the law and ensure they have valid immigration documents while in foreign countries,” Kello said.
The move will clean Tanzania and get back their jobs. While Kenyans are busy importing doctors from Tanzania, the President Maghufuli government has vowed to restrict Kenyans from getting into their country without being vetted and with proper documents.
“What I can tell you is that this is not something new. It has always been there,” said an official who did not want to be identified because of lacking authority to speak to the press.
The Tanzanian government launched a crackdown on foreign nationals who do not have both work and residence permits. Only 680 foreigners have work permits, according to the country’s immigration department, while only 66 have applied for residence permits.
It is speculated that the move also targeted some communities in Kenya who have been misbehaving in the foreign country. Last month, the government deported a popular businessman from Arusha to Kenya. The president’s target is to get back jobs and make the country better. Some of the Tanzanians say the president’s action is welcomed by the people, and for the first time every region is equally included in the government. They said that President Magufuli will rule for ten years like others without any problems.
