Tanzania's Minister for Home Affairs, Innocent Bashungwa, has issued a clear and uncompromising warning to foreigners who attempt to enter the country with the intent of undermining national peace and stability, declaring they will face swift legal consequences.
Speaking before Parliament in Dodoma today, May 26, 2025, while presenting his ministry’s budget estimates for the 2025/2026 fiscal year, Bashungwa said the government welcomes foreign visitors especially those contributing to investment and development but will not tolerate individuals or groups pursuing agendas that threaten the country’s security.
“There is no place in our country for foreigners with ill intentions,” said Bashungwa. “I commend the Immigration Department and our security agencies for their diligence in identifying and dealing with such individuals whether they are entering illegally or misusing valid permits.”
His remarks follow a series of recent incidents in which high-profile regional figures were denied entry into Tanzania or deported after arriving.
Among them were Kenyan lawyer and politician Martha Karua and former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, who were barred from entering the country earlier this month.
The pair had traveled to Tanzania to observe legal proceedings involving opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who faces charges of sedition and treason.
Other activists, including Boniface Mwangi from Kenya and Agather Atuhaire from Uganda, were also detained by Tanzanian authorities and deported shortly thereafter.
Bashungwa pointed to these incidents as evidence of what he described as new forms of threats to national peace, warning that destabilization in the modern era may not always come through traditional means.
“An enemy of the state in the 21st century doesn’t need tanks or weapons,” he said. “They can come disguised as civil society actors or activists, armed with agendas aimed at sowing discord and unrest in our society.”he added
He urged Tanzanians to remain vigilant and united in protecting the country from such threats whether internal or external.
“We must protect our sovereignty and the peace we’ve built. Anyone attempting to undermine it will face the full force of the law,” he emphasized. “Let us remember: peace is not inherited it is defended.”
Bashungwa’s statement underscores the government’s increasingly assertive stance on foreign involvement in domestic affairs, particularly regarding human rights and political activism.
While officials frame the actions as necessary for safeguarding national unity and sovereignty, critics argue they reflect a growing intolerance toward dissent and external scrutiny.
Despite rising concern from regional and international observers, the Tanzanian government remains resolute in its position: preserving peace and security is paramount and those who threaten it, regardless of origin, will not be welcome.
Source Mwananchi
