President William Ruto has extended his
congratulatory message to Tanzania’s president-elect Samia Suluhu Hassan on her win in the just-concluded
general elections.
President Suluhu, who came to power in 2021 after the
death of the late John Magufuli, won the election with over 98% of the votes cast
according to the electoral body in Tanzania.
“On behalf of
the Government and the people of the Republic of Kenya, and on my own behalf, I
extend sincere congratulations to Her Excellency Samia Suluhu Hassan on her
re-election in the General Election held on 29 October 2025," Ruto said in a statement on Monday.
In the congratulatory statement, President Ruto reflected on
the cordial ties Kenya shares with Tanzania in the spirit of the East African
community and pledged to continue with the relationship with the Federal Republic of Tanzania
that brings together former Tanganyika and the Island of Zanzibar.
He said, “Kenya and Tanzania share deep historical ties and
common aspirations for the prosperity and stability of our peoples, anchored in
our shared history and our joint membership in the East African Community
(EAC).”
The president further called for calm among the Tanzanian people who have been demonstrating during and after the general election for alleged malpractice and suppression of dissent.
He urged restraint and
called for dialogue among the aggrieved parties to find a long-lasting solution
for the benefit of democracy and stability in the country.
“I call upon the patriotic people of Tanzania to uphold
peace and the rule of law, and I encourage all political actors and
stakeholders to embrace dialogue and tolerance as they seek to resolve any
issues at hand in order to safeguard democracy and stability,” the president said.
He affirmed Kenya’s readiness in continued engagement with
Tanzania to ensure a progressive and peaceful East African Community.
“Kenya stands ready to continue engaging constructively in
the pursuit of our shared vision for a peaceful, prosperous, and
integrated East Africa,” he said.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and other East
African civil society organisations previously issued a joint statement
expressing concern over the conduct of the elections and alleged human rights
violations.
“We stand here as East African citizen. The tragic
occurrences we are witnessing in Tanzania go against the very principles that
underpin the East African Community. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice
everywhere,” the statement read in part.
The coalition alleged a pattern of arbitrary arrests,
abductions and enforced disappearances of opposition figures and critics in the
run-up to the vote, claims that Tanzanian authorities have previously denied.
