TANZANIA-Kenya diplomatic relations remain stable despite a breach of protocol by some Kenya government officials, including the Energy Cabinet Secretary, Charles Keter, who was this week denied entry into the country.
Speaking exclusively to ‘Daily News on
Saturday’ yesterday in the city, the Permanent Secretary (PS) in the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, East Africa, Regional and International
Cooperation, Dr Aziz Mlima, clarified that it was crucial for any
diplomat or government official to follow the protocols and procedures
upon visiting any country in the world.
“It is simple logic that one cannot even
visit his relative and surprise them by knocking their bedroom door
without letting them know in advance,” said the career diplomat. He said
that the protocols require every government official down to the
district commissioner (DC) level to ask the ministry of foreign affairs
when travelling to send a diplomatic communication requesting permission
to enter the country of destination.
“Much as we are in the same East Africa
Community (EAC) and there is cordial relations between our countries,
all protocols have to be observed,” he stressed. Meanwhile, a section of
Kenya media quoting diplomatic circles have faulted the ministry of
energy for sending a delegation to inspect Tanzania’s Tanga Port without
involving the foreign affairs ministry.
Energy cabinet secretary Charles Keter,
his principal secretaries, Andrew Kamau and Joseph Njoroge and Lapsset
chief executive Sylvester Kasuku were denied entry to the Tanga port
where they had gone for inspection as a potential exit point for
Uganda’s crude oil.
On Thursday, the Tanzanian Immigration
Department distanced itself from claims by senior Kenya government
officials who claimed on Wednesday that their passports were
confiscated.
The Kenyan delegation further alleged
that they were denied access to the port of Tanga, complaining that a
delegation from Uganda, led by Energy Minister Irene Muloni was allowed
to proceed with the tour without being disturbed by any Tanzanian
official.
In a telephone interview with the ‘Daily
News on Saturday’, Immigration Services Commissioner for Border Control
and Management Abdullah Khamis said the claims by Kenyan officials that
their travel documents had been confiscated were false, clarifying that
they were only denied entry into the country.
“I am yet to receive enough information
from my colleagues in Tanga. But the preliminary reports that I received
earlier today have it that there was a meeting going on between top
Tanzanian officials and the Ugandan delegation and therefore, allowing
Kenyan officials could have disrupted the talks between the two
countries,’’ he said.
According to Kenya’s ‘Daily Nation’, the
top Kenyan officials had begun their journey at Lamu in the country’s
northern coast, where they inspected the proposed port there before
flying to Tanga. The trip was part of their mission to unlock a deadlock
between Kenya and Uganda over whether a proposed oil pipeline to export
Uganda’s oil would pass through Kenya or Tanzania.
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