This archive report was first published on 5 July 2019.
Published on July 5, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta embarked on a private visit to Tanzania, where he met with President John Magufuli in his native village of Chato.
During the visit, Uhuru emphasized the importance of maintaining good neighbourly relations between Kenya and Tanzania, citing the Bible as saying, 'you can choose a friend but you cannot choose your neighbour.'
He urged Kenyans and Tanzanians not to be distracted by 'silly pronouncements' made by some politicians, which were intended to create divisions among people in the two countries.
Uhuru's visit came in the wake of xenophobic attacks made by a Kenyan lawmaker, Charles Njagua Kanyi, against foreigners, including Tanzanians, operating businesses in Kenya.
Speaking to a deafening applause, Uhuru said, 'We should not allow politicians to harm our friendliness and neighbourliness. Kenyans and Tanzanians should be free to interact by visiting each other. They are free to interact in business and even in marriage.'
He also urged East African Community (EAC) leaders to work together towards removing obstacles hampering smooth integration of people within the regional bloc.
For his part, President Magufuli thanked Uhuru for his visit and praised him for making history by becoming the first foreign leader to visit his native Chato village.
