On May 28, 2025, Kenya’s President William Ruto issued a public apology to Tanzania during a national prayer breakfast in Nairobi, seeking to ease tensions following the detention and deportation of East African activists. The diplomatic spat, intensified by Kenyan social media attacks on Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, prompted Tanzanian MPs to accuse Kenyans of cyberbullying and undermining national sovereignty. “To our neighbors from Tanzania, if we have wronged you, forgive us,” Ruto said, extending an olive branch amid regional outrage.
The crisis began when activists, including Kenya’s Boniface Mwangi and Uganda’s Agather Atuhaire, were detained in Tanzania while attending the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu on May 19, 2025. Held incommunicado for days, the activists alleged torture before being abandoned at their respective borders, sparking condemnation from Kenya, Uganda, and international rights groups. Tanzania has not addressed the torture claims, but President Samia warned against foreign activists “meddling” in domestic affairs, signaling a crackdown on external involvement.
The incident fueled an online feud, with Kenyan users trolling Samia on X, prompting Tanzanian MPs to denounce the attacks as disrespectful during a heated parliamentary debate on May 26. Iringa Town MP Jesca Msambatavangu reported receiving a flood of WhatsApp messages from Kenyans, forcing her to switch off her phone temporarily. She welcomed dialogue, proposing a WhatsApp group and a live session on May 31 to engage Kenyan youth, stating, “Kenyans are our brothers; we cannot ignore each other.”
Ruto also apologized to Kenya’s Gen-Z youth, critical of his leadership since deadly anti-tax protests in June 2024, though some dismissed his gesture on X, demanding his resignation. The apologies followed a call for reconciliation by American preacher Rickey Allen Bolden. Kenya and Uganda formally protested Tanzania’s denial of consular access to the activists, highlighting strained East African Community ties. Posts on X reflect polarized views, with some praising Ruto’s diplomacy and others criticizing Tanzania’s actions.
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