Starehe Constituency MP, Mr Charles Kanyi alias Jaguar, sparked fear among Tanzanians after a video clip of him threatening to eject foreigners taking up business opportunities meant for Kenyans, went viral.
His utterance, alluding to xenophobic attacks against foreigners working and doing business in Nairobi, saw Tanzania Members of Parliament requesting for Speaker’s guidance over the need for the government to issue a statement on the safety of Tanzanians who live, work and do business in Kenya.
“We are not talking about six Chinese nationals. We are talking of hundreds of foreigners who work here (Kenya). I give the government 24 hours to evict these foreigners lest I, being a representative of this area, go into their shops, beat them and send them all the way to the airport. Kenyans must conduct their businesses without competing with people from other countries. Pakistanis are dominating the sale of vehicles in Nairobi. Tanzanians and Ugandans are dominating in our markets. We say enough is enough. If they are not sent home within 24 hours, we will pick and beat them and we do not fear anybody,” said Jaguar.
Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa, said the government took the remarks seriously and summoned the Kenyan officials to explain the issue as the Speaker ordered the government to issue a statement on the subject.
He then called upon Tanzanians to remain calm after Kenyan High Commissioner to Tanzania, explained that Jaguar’s utterance was personal and had nothing to do with the official position of the Kenyan government, promising that the lawmaker will be summoned to explain what he actually meant by the statement.
“As Tanzanians, let’s keep living in harmony with all Kenyans wherever they are. We have no problem with Kenya,” he said urging Kenyans, Tanzanians, Ugandans, Rwandese, Burundians and South Sudanese to resist the allure of making utterances that go contrary to the spirit of East African integration.