Tanzanian Government, led by Dr John Pombe Magufuli, on Tuesday, burnt down 5,000 chicks imported from Kenya, an action that could see a repeat of the feud between the two states over the same.
The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Livestock, Maria Mahingo, confirmed the Tuesday move indicating that the day-old chicks were illegally imported through the northern Namanga border with Kenya.
The PS noted that the importer, whose identity was disclosed, did not have the necessary documents for the importation.
Tanzania has been on record making it clear that it does not tolerate chick importation as measures aimed at preventing the spread of bird flu.
[caption caption="Pres Magufuli (Twitter)"]
[/caption]
"There is no need of destroying an entire chicken sector because of only 5,000 chicks," Mashingo stated.
This move comes three months ago after the same nation confiscated 6,500 chicks and burned them alive claiming they had been acquired from Kenya illegally and could spread diseases.
In response to the squabble, the then Foreign Cabinet Secretary (CS), Amina Mohammed, issued a "note of protest" and followed it up with a summon to Tanzania's ambassador in Nairobi.
In a move aimed at solving the dispute, the Kenyan Government summoned the Tanzanian envoy over a diplomatic row that had ensued between the two neighboring nations.
"Following the auction of these cows and the destruction by fire of the chicks, which had also entered in violation of the law, the Kenyan government summoned our ambassador in Nairobi to ask for explanations," the Tanzanian Government stated.
[caption caption="Tz Pres Magufuli and Uhuru Kenyatta (Twitter)"]
[/caption]
