Tanzanian Police have announced the arrest of a Kenyan-U.S. national at the Sirari border who was allegedly attempting to enter the East African nation in possession of explosive material.
In a statement released late Sunday night, the Tanzania Police announced that the 30-year-old man is a dual citizen of Kenya and the United States of America and a sergeant in the U.S. military.
The arrest was made by the police force in Tarime-Rorya on Sunday, November 16, at around 12 noon.
"A dual citizen of the United States and Kenya, a United States Army Soldier, holding the rank of Sergeant with four CS M68 hand grenades, coming from Kenya to enter Tanzania using a Toyota Land Cruiser," part of the statement read.
"According to the Arms Ownership Law, even if he asked for permission, he would not be allowed to enter the country with the bombs."
Currently, the police force is conducting investigations, and the suspect is being questioned about the allegations so that appropriate actions according to the law can be taken against him.
The Tanzanian police did not reveal why the Kenyan national was travelling to Tanzania with hand grenades.
This comes amidst heightened security concerns in Tanzania that escalated in the run-up to its general elections conducted on October 29.
Following a whopping 98 per cent win for President Samia Suluhu, tempers flared as Tanzanians took to the streets to demonstrate against the elections. The two top opposition leaders in the country had been disqualified from running for the presidency.
According to human rights defenders, what followed was the killing of hundreds of Tanzanians and foreigners caught in the mix, including a Kenyan teacher, John Ogutu, who had been working in Tanzania for eight years.
The Kenyan government has since confirmed that the bodies of Ogutu and one more Kenyan remain unaccounted for in the aftermath of the post-election violence in Tanzania.
Others were arrested in droves, leading a section of Tanzanian nationals to stop trusting the communications from police officers, even disputing the latest arrest of the Kenyan-U.S. national.
Last Saturday, November 8, the Tanzanian government released two Kenyan nationals who had been arrested on election day after 10 days in custody.
The two, Frederick Lorent Obuya and John Gitahi Nderitu, were received by the Kenyan High Commission in Tanzania and flown back home without any charges.
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