Nandi Senator Kiprotich Cherargei has condemned activist Bob Njagi’s call for Kenyans to participate in a nationwide shutdown on December 9, which coincides with Tanzania’s Independence Day.
Njagi, who was recently released from detention in Uganda, urged Kenyans to close border points and push for the temporary suspension of the Tanzanian Embassy in Nairobi in solidarity with Tanzanians planning protests.
Cherargei argued that such actions risk interfering in the domestic affairs of friendly neighboring countries.
“Why would anyone want to interfere with the local politics and issues of other friendly countries when they have never interfered with our own?” he said.
The senator emphasized that activists should focus on domestic issues rather than exporting political disputes across borders.
The Nandi lawmaker warned that Njagi’s proposals could negatively affect Kenyans living and working in Tanzania.
“Many Kenyans continue to live and work peacefully in those countries without any problems. If this is allowed, it will expose them to unnecessary scrutiny,” Cherargei said.
His comments reflect broader concerns about the safety and mobility of Kenyans in the East African region.
Njagi had claimed that his recent arrest in Uganda was part of a coordinated effort by the governments of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to suppress regional activists.
He called on Kenyan legislators to back measures that would close the Tanzanian Embassy and symbolically shut borders in solidarity with Tanzanian demonstrators.
Kenya has historically maintained strong ties with Tanzania, with thousands of Kenyans residing, working, or conducting business there.