BY ASSAH MWAMBENE
The Foreign Affairs and international Co-operation Minister, Mr. Bernard Membe (MP) paid tribute to Kenyan government and the people for making Africa proud for taking a step back from the brink to amicably resolve the recent post-elections violence.
Speaking at the Kenyan National day in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the Minister said the world was encouraged by the manner in which the Kenyan government and the Kenyan people addressed the issue of the post elections violence giving yet another hope for all Kenyans.
“We salute the leadership of the Kenya for having placed the national interests above personal ambition, which has enabled this achievement” the Minister told a well attended gathering at the Movenpick Hotel in the City.
He said Tanzania was extremely distressed from those unfortunate post-elections violence in Kenya, saying Dar es Salaam port was one of the most affected by experiencing additional pressure arising from the need to service landlocked countries that were using Mombasa port.
“During that period we witnessed a reduction of the number of tourists visiting Tanzania, as we receive many tourists through Kenya” the Minister said.
On the bilateral ties between the Tanzania and Kenya, the Minister said the two countries have been enjoying excellent relations, saying the strength of the relationship lies in the people-to-people connection and interactions between the two countries.
Apart from the informal cross border trade taking place, Tanzania’s export to Kenya increased from 86.2bn/= in 2005 to 125.8bn/= in 2007 while imports from Kenya amounted to 124.6bn/- in 2007.
Earlier, the Kenyan Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Boaz Kidiga Mbaya showered lots of praise to the Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete and former Tanzanian President. Benjamin Mkapa for the central role they played in resolving the post-elections violence in Kenya.