This archive report was first published on 6 July 2019.
On Saturday, July 6, 2019, Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta and John Magufuli of Tanzania met in a private visit, vowing to tackle insecurity in the region.
During their meeting, the two leaders emphasized the importance of upholding the laws of each country, stating that citizens will be subject to the laws of the country where they commit a crime.
"If a person commits a crime in Kenya, he or she will be subjected to Kenyan law. And if a Kenyan commits a crime in Tanzania, he or she will be dealt with in accordance with our laws," President Magufuli said.
The Presidents also expressed their commitment to ensuring peace in the region, with President Kenyatta stating that they will do everything possible to insulate peace-loving East Africans from the actions of "a few misguided people".
"We want to ensure peace. We know a majority of our people are good. They want to do business, travel and farm. But we are also practical; we know there are bad people amongst us. We will deal with those ones firmly," the Kenyan leader said.
Furthermore, the two leaders agreed to establish a natural gas trade arrangement between the neighboring countries, with Tanzania holding 57 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves.
President Magufuli expressed his country's interest in exporting natural gas to Kenya, stating that "We have natural gas, a lot of gas. We know Kenya needs gas. Instead of Kenya importing gas from outside East Africa, they should buy from here," he said.
The Presidents also resolved to revamp Lake Victoria ferry services, which they believe will help create employment, enhance connectivity, and spur related economic activities.
