By Our Correspondent
A diplomatic tiff is brewing between Kenya and Tanzania following the arrest of two Kenyan police officers by Tanzanian authorities after they crossed the border while pursuing a suspect.
The two officers, Police Constables Patrick Kithinji and Ahmed Ali, both attached to Tononoka Police Station’s crime office, were arrested on January 6, 2026, at the Horohoro area in Tanzania.
According to a police report filed at Lungalunga Police Station in Kwale County, the officers had crossed into Tanzanian territory while attempting to apprehend a suspect wanted in Kenya.
The officers told authorities they were pursuing a suspect identified as Omar Ali, who is alleged to have committed the offence of obtaining money by false pretense in Tononoka, Mombasa. The complainant in the case was identified as Sofia Mguza.
At the time of their arrest, the Kenyan officers were found in possession of two Ceska pistols, each loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition. The firearms, bearing serial numbers F 4663 and F 2528 respectively, were confiscated by Tanzanian authorities.
The two officers were in the company of a driver, Abdkadir Adan Ganyure, an employee of the Coast Development Authority. They were travelling in a vehicle bearing registration number KDA 240P, which was also seized.
All three individuals, together with the vehicle and the confiscated firearms, remain in the custody of Tanzanian authorities pending further action.
The incident has raised concerns within security and diplomatic circles, particularly over cross-border policing protocols, jurisdiction, and the handling of suspects along the Kenya–Tanzania border.