Tanzania President John Pombe Magufuli’s Government could just have ignited a new diplomatic fight with Kenya after burning thousands of its chicks.
The Magufuli led Government reportedly burnt 5000 one-day-old chicks impounded at Namanga border for being imported into its territory illegally.
The reports were confirmed by Tanzania’s Livestock Permanent Secretary Maria Masingo.
This comes three months after the country seized and sold 1,300 cattle belonging to Kenyan Maasai herders for grazing across the border.
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Also in November 2017, Tanzania confiscated 6,500 chicks and burned them alive. The Government said that the livestock had been brought from Kenya illegally and might spread disease.
Magufuli's response
Despite the uproar sparked by these actions, President Magufuli stated: “Let them (Kenyans) also take similar action if cows from Tanzania are arrested in their country”.
Tanzania’s arrogant response saw Kenya's foreign ministry summon Tanzania's ambassador in Nairobi to explain
"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 statement read.