Africa-Press – Tanzania. A number of activists have been arrested at the Tanzanian Embassy in Nairobi during protests of solidarity with the citizens of the neighbouring country.
The activists had on Tuesday joined the widening international chorus expressing concern over the political and human rights situation in Tanzania.
Among those arrested are Julius Kamau and Ojiro Odhiambo.
In a statement on Monday, the activists had called for global attention and suggested that President Samia Suluhu Hassan step down.
Odhiambo, Free Kenya Movement leader Bob Njagi and former Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana appended their names to the statement.
They cited reports of alleged state abuses and warned of a potential humanitarian crisis as Tanzanians hold nationwide protests on December 9.
“The world is paying attention to events unfolding in Tanzania. Across Africa and beyond, observers, human rights institutions and civic movements are highlighting concerns raised by Tanzanians themselves regarding the conduct of President Samia Suluhu Hassan and her administration,” the statement read.
In the declaration, the Kenyan signatories and their counterparts described what they viewed as a significant restriction of democratic rights.
They called for action and urged measures ahead of the protests expected in Tanzania.
The group also notified Kenyan police of their plan to hold a demonstration in Nairobi in solidarity with Tanzanians during their independence day.
Their intervention align Kenya’s civil society figures with observations made by the African Union Election Observation Mission, SADC, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the European Parliament, Ghana, UN special procedures and the United States, all of which have highlighted issues in Tanzania’s elections and expressed concern over responses to dissent.
