Suluhu showing arrogance toward Kenya- Expert

The recent detention of Kenyan activists in Tanzania has reignited debate over diplomatic relations and governance between the two countries.

The incident has drawn mixed reactions, with many questioning the role Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs should have played in handling the situation.

Africa Policy Institute Chief Executive Officer, Prof Peter Kagwanja, avers that Kenya’s foreign policy is increasingly driven by narrow political interests.

“When you subordinate foreign policy to individual interests, then we have a problem. If you subordinate foreign policy to the whims of your party alone, then we have a foreign policy bureaucracy,” Kagwanja explained.

Commenting on Tanzanian  President Samia Suluhu’s recent remarks about Kenya, Kagwanja accused her of arrogance.

“Kenya is not on the same level as Tanzania. Suluhu is seeking re-election while clamping down on the opposition. She is simply arrogant. Kenya’s political landscape is 20 years older than that of Tanzania,” he noted.

He also slammed Tanzania’s political system as outdated, likening it to the single-party era of the 1960s, expressing skepticism about Tanzania’s full commitment to the East African Community, saying it appears more aligned with the Southern African Development Community.  

The professor further criticised Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi for not taking a more direct role in addressing the issue with Tanzanian authorities.

His remarks follow reports that several Kenyans were denied entry into Tanzania on Monday, while the whereabouts of activist Boniface Mwangi remain unknown.

Kagwanja also questioned the wisdom of having one individual serve as both Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Minister. “How can one person simultaneously serve as foreign minister and cabinet minister in a country of 50 million people?” he asked. 

The Policy Institute CEO argued that the Foreign Affairs Ministry should be staffed with individuals who understand diplomatic sensitivity.

He attributed Kenya’s strained diplomatic relations to the party system in the country, which he believes fosters authoritarianism.