Tension flared at the Namanga border after four people, including two Kenyans, were shot by individuals believed to be police officers during a protest that turned violent. The incident, which happened on Thursday afternoon, left two Tanzanians dead while the injured Kenyans were rushed to the Kajiado County Referral Hospital with critical gunshot wounds.
Witnesses said the chaos began when a large crowd of demonstrators gathered at the border, demanding justice and transparency over what they called unfair elections in Tanzania.
The Kenyans had joined the protests to support their Tanzanian counterparts, but things quickly took a deadly turn when officers opened fire.
According to Kajiado County Commander Alex Shikondi, the two Tanzanians who died were young men aged 27 and 28. He confirmed that the shooting came from the Tanzanian side as border police tried to disperse the growing crowd.
Shikondi added that the Tanzanian officers were firing in panic at the protesters, some of whom were on the Kenyan side when the bullets struck. The situation created confusion and fear among residents as the usually busy Namanga border, known for trade and tourism, turned into a scene of chaos and mourning.
The protests had started earlier that morning after a group of Tanzanian citizens reportedly forced their way across the border into Kenya. They claimed that the ongoing Tanzanian elections were marred by irregularities and demanded international attention.
Once on Kenyan soil, they continued chanting and waving placards denouncing what they called electoral injustice. Some Kenyans who sympathized with their cause joined them, and soon the crowd grew larger and rowdier.
Reports say the protesters began hurling stones at Tanzanian officers stationed near the border, leading to an armed response that ended in bloodshed.
Video footage widely shared online captured scenes of young people blocking the highway connecting the two countries, lighting bonfires, and shouting anti-government slogans.
The situation prompted a heavy deployment of Kenyan police to control the unrest and prevent the protests from spreading deeper into Kajiado County. Witnesses said the atmosphere remained tense even after the shooting, with both sides accusing each other of provoking the violence.
In response, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo issued a stern warning to Kenyans against crossing into Tanzania to participate in the demonstrations.
He emphasized that Kenya has clear laws governing protests and that citizens must respect those rules.
“I don’t want to speak about what is happening in Tanzania. I can speak about Kenya. My point is, as a country, we have laws and regulations and guides on demonstrations. Anyone who wants to participate in any form of protests, let’s do what the law requires us to do,” Omollo said.
The Namanga incident has sparked outrage among human rights activists, who are now calling for an investigation into the use of excessive force at the border. Families of the victims have also demanded accountability, saying the killings were unnecessary and that the two countries should have handled the situation peacefully.
