Tanzania Releases 5 Arrested Kenyans After Diplomatic Talks

UPDATE: Tanzanian authorities released five Kenyans, including two police officers, who had been arrested at Horohoro while attempting to apprehend a suspect on Tanzanian soil.

President Samia Suluhu’s administration has arrested five Kenyans, including two police officers, for allegedly attempting to carry out an arrest inside Tanzanian territory.

The five were reportedly on a mission to apprehend a suspect who had fled from Kenya into Tanzania without following established cross-border arrest procedures.

The arrested police officers have been identified as Police Constable Patrick Kithinji and Police Constable Ahmed Ali, both attached to Tononoka Police Station in Mombasa.

The arrests took place at the Horohoro border point.

Also detained by Tanzanian authorities are Coast Development Authority Chairperson Mzee Mwinyi Mzee, who was the suspect being pursued by the officers, his wife, Sophia Menza, and their driver, Abdikadir Aydan. The suspect is wanted in Kenya for the offence of obtaining money by false pretence.

Tanzania Authorities Arrest Five Kenyans

The two officers were disarmed of their Ceska pistols, each loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition.

They are accused of breaching Tanzanian laws and East African Community protocols governing the conduct of arrests on foreign soil.

The five Kenyans are expected to be arraigned in a Dar es Salaam court on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.

Earnest Lukaza confirmed the arrests, the Tanzanian officer in charge of the One Stop Border Post (OSBP) at Lunga Lunga.

Also Read: President Samia Suluhu Taken to ICC

According to a report from Kenyan police, the two officers from Tononoka Police Station were armed and in the company of a complainant when Tanzanian authorities arrested them.

“Kindly be informed that today, Tuesday, at around 9:30 a.m., PC Patrick Kithinji and PC Ahmed Ali, both from Tononoka Police Station Crime Office, were arrested by Tanzanian authorities at the Horohoro area in Tanzania. They claimed they had gone to effect the arrest of Mr Omar Ali for the offence of obtaining money by false pretence, which occurred in Tononoka,” read the police report from Lunga Lunga Police Station.

Similar Incidents of Arrests

This is not the first time Tanzanian authorities have arrested Kenyans on their soil.

In November 2025, Tanzanian officials arrested Charles Onkuri Ongeta, a Kenyan–U.S. dual citizen and a serving U.S. Army sergeant, at the Sirari border.

He was allegedly attempting to enter Tanzania with four CS M68 hand grenades in his vehicle.

Also Read: Suluhu’s Govt Breaks Silence After CNN Exposé

In the same month, following Tanzania’s 2025 General Elections, which were marred by protests, several Kenyans were detained amid widespread unrest.

Earlier, in May 2025, activist Boniface Mwangi was arrested while attempting to attend the treason trial of opposition leader Tundu Lissu. He was later deported.

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Inspector General Douglas Kanja speaking at past event. PHOTO/NPS