Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Monday waded into the issue revolving around last week’s detention, alleged torture and subsequent deportation of some Kenyan activists in Tanzania.
Speaking in Garissa when he presided over the launch of a modern tuition block at the Hafsa Bintu Sirin Center for Excellence in Taqwa, Duale hit out at the activists for what he termed as ‘transporting their bad culture to the neighboring country’.
Last week, Tanzanian authorities arrested and later deported human rights activists from Kenya and Uganda who had travelled to Dar es Salaam to observe a hearing in the treason case against detained opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan lawyer Agather Atuhaire were later released after several days of detention and alleged torture by Tanzanian authorities.
Several rights groups and the opposition have since strongly condemned the mistreatment of several Kenyan human rights activists.
But according to Duale, each country has its own governance structure and constitution, which must be respected by all members of the East African community.
“I want to make it very clear, each country has its own governance structure, each country has its own constitution, and the East Africa protocol does not give you that freedom to go and interfere with the internal affairs of another country that is a member of East Africa,” Duale said.
“It is very sad to see people who hold very senior and important constitutional offices in our country want to go and interfere with the internal affairs of our neighboring country. The EAC rules of engagement and protocol do not include activism and civil society groups to go and interfere with the running of the affairs of any of our member countries in the EAC."
Duale defended the Kenyan government, noting that it retains a cordial relationship with all its EAC member states in which the Kenyan president is the Chairman.
Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan, speaking about the developments, warned activists from neighboring countries that she will not allow them to "meddle" in her country's affairs and cause "chaos".
"If they have been contained in their country, let them not come here to meddle. Let's not give them a chance. They have already created chaos in their own country," Samia said.
On Monday last week, the leader of the main opposition Chadema party, Tundu, appeared in a magistrate's court after being arrested last month.
The case was adjourned to 2 June after the prosecution asked for more time for investigations.
