Kenya and Tanzania MPs Unite in Nairobi for Prayers Amid Regional Tensions

In a remarkable display of diplomatic reconciliation, Kenyan and Tanzanian parliamentarians came together in song at the National Prayer Breakfast on Wednesday, offering a moment of unity amid escalating tensions between the two East African nations.

The symbolic gesture unfolded at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, where National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro invited a Tanzanian delegation, including a former Prime Minister, to join their Kenyan and Ugandan counterparts in worship. Together, they sang “Bwana ni Mchungaji Wangu” (The Lord is My Shepherd), with Osoro leading the joint choir.

“We have the Ugandan delegation, but we also want to invite our Tanzanian counterparts to join us in this special song. They were with us yesterday for dinner with the former Tanzanian Prime Minister,” Osoro announced from the podium.

The prayer breakfast gathering came against the backdrop of a significant diplomatic crisis that has strained Kenya-Tanzania relations in recent days. The controversy erupted following the detention and deportation of Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire from Dar es Salaam, where they had traveled to observe the trial of Tanzanian opposition figure Tundu Lissu.

Reports indicate the activists were allegedly tortured and held incommunicado before being deported, prompting widespread condemnation from Kenya, regional bodies, and international organizations. The United States Bureau of African Affairs expressed “deep concern” over their treatment, adding international pressure to the diplomatic standoff.

The situation deteriorated further during heated debates in Tanzania’s Parliament earlier this week, where lawmakers launched sharp criticisms of Kenyan activists and citizens. Geita MP Joseph Musukuma made particularly inflammatory remarks, claiming Tanzania was “far ahead of Kenya politically and intellectually” and dismissing Kenyan social media criticism of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

“We top in everything. Speaking good English isn’t a priority for us,” Musukuma declared, accusing Kenyans of interfering in Tanzania’s internal affairs.

The parliamentary exchanges sparked online tensions between citizens of both countries, with some Tanzanian MPs reportedly switching off their mobile phones after being flooded with WhatsApp messages from angry Kenyans. Other Tanzanian lawmakers, including Felista Deogratius Njau, condemned the use of artificial intelligence by Kenyan social media users to create mocking images of their president.

Despite these tensions, Wednesday’s prayer breakfast demonstrated the potential for dialogue and reconciliation between the neighboring countries. The joint worship session was widely interpreted as an effort to thaw relations and find common ground through shared faith and regional solidarity.

The presence of the Tanzanian delegation at the Nairobi event, themed “Rise and Shine,” signals that diplomatic channels remain open despite the recent friction. The gesture of unity comes at a crucial time when East African regional cooperation faces challenges, highlighting the importance of maintaining dialogue even during periods of disagreement.