Tanzania has arrested 134 Burundian nationals in the Mara Region over alleged violations of immigration laws.
The arrests followed a special operation by immigration officers targeting foreigners suspected of entering or staying in the country illegally.
Tanzania’s Daily News reported that the operation was carried out in different parts of Mara Region on Wednesday.
Mara Regional Immigration Office Assistant Commissioner Bernadetha Tyetyetye, who is overseeing the operation, directed officers to maintain professionalism as they continued with the crackdown.
Immigration officials said the operation was necessary to deal with people who were in the country without the required documents.
The regional immigration office said similar operations would continue in other areas. Residents were also asked to report individuals suspected of living in Tanzania without legal permits.
The arrests came days after Kenya launched a crackdown on foreign nationals operating small businesses.
The government on Monday, September 7, ordered foreigners involved in hawking, small retail shops and other low-capital businesses to stop operating in those sectors.
Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui said foreigners who enter Kenya without a visa are not automatically allowed to work or run businesses.
The crackdown has affected traders from Burundi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with some reportedly leaving markets where they had been conducting small-scale businesses.
The action has sparked concern in Burundi, with the country’s government accusing Kenya of mistreating its citizens.
Burundi Foreign Affairs Minister Edouard Bizimana called for the protection of Burundian nationals living and working in Kenya.
He also warned that continued hostile remarks against Burundi could affect the treatment of Kenyans living in Burundi.
The East Africa Law Society has urged authorities to ensure that immigration enforcement focuses on individual violations rather than nationality.
The arrests in Tanzania and the crackdown in Kenya have put renewed attention on the movement of East African citizens across borders and the rules governing their right to work and conduct business in neighbouring countries.