Amid simmering diplomatic tensions between Kenya and Tanzania, a rare moment of unity unfolded during Kenya’s National Prayer Breakfast on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, as Members of Parliament from both nations joined in song. The event, held at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, featured a delegation of Tanzanian lawmakers, including a former Prime Minister, who sang alongside their Kenyan counterparts in a symbolic gesture of solidarity.
National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro (South Mugirango) acknowledged the presence of the Tanzanian delegation and invited them to join in singing the hymn “Bwana ni Mchungaji Wangu” (The Lord is My Shepherd). “We have the Ugandan delegation, but we also want to invite our Tanzanian counterparts to join us in this special song. They were with us yesterday for dinner with the former Tanzanian Prime Minister,” Osoro announced.
This public display of camaraderie came amid escalating tensions triggered by the arrest and deportation of Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire from Dar es Salaam. The activists were reportedly held incommunicado, tortured, and subsequently deported—an incident that sparked outrage across Kenya and drew criticism from regional and international bodies.
The Tanzanian Parliament further fueled the diplomatic rift on Monday during a heated budget debate session. Several MPs, including Geita MP Joseph Musukuma, accused Kenyan activists of meddling in Tanzania’s internal affairs. In response to an online backlash from Kenyan netizens, some Tanzanian MPs reportedly switched off their phones after being bombarded with WhatsApp messages.
Kenyan leaders have condemned Tanzania’s stance and expressed concern over the treatment of the activists. While relations between the two nations have historically fluctuated, this latest incident has reignited debates on regional cooperation and human rights.
Nonetheless, the symbolic act of Tanzanian and Kenyan MPs singing together suggests a willingness—at least at some levels of leadership—to ease tensions and foster dialogue. Whether this moment of unity translates into improved diplomatic relations remains to be seen, but for a brief moment, politics took a backseat to shared faith and regional brotherhood.
