Kenyan hospitals have started admitting injured protestors from Tanzania, especially around the border areas of Isebania, amid escalating violence and protests against the recently concluded election.
As of October 31, at least 25 Tanzanian nationals had been treated in various hospitals in Migori County after crossing into Kenya to seek medical care for injuries sustained during protests in Tanzania.
As reported by The Standard, a police report from Isebania Police Station states that the individuals entered through unofficial border routes, with six of them suffering from gunshot wounds.
Tanzania Protesters Admitted in Kenya
BNM Hospital treated and discharged four patients with assault-related injuries and admitted one gunshot victim. Emalia Community Hospital also attended to two gunshot cases and referred them to Migori for specialized care.
Getontira Hospital received six patients, three admitted and three referred, while Queen Easter Hospital admitted one gunshot patient who was later discharged.
Bwana Mifupa Hospital handled nine cases involving bone fractures but reported no gunshot injuries.
Health and security officials in Migori County are monitoring the situation as more injured individuals may cross the border if unrest in Tanzania continues.
Increased surveillance has been deployed along porous border points to manage the inflow and ensure medical services are coordinated.
As of October 31, the United Nations Human Rights confirmed that the rate of deaths and injuries was so alarming.
“We are alarmed by the deaths and injuries that have occurred in the ongoing election-related protests in Tanzania,” stated the UN organ.
Also Read: Kenyan Journalist Arrested by Tanzanian Authorities Amid Election Unrest
Transport across the border was also disrupted. The Isebania–Sirare highway remained impassable for more than seven hours on Friday as protesters blocked the road with boulders, burning tyres and logs.
This crossing is a vital artery for East African trade, handling goods like maize, fish, and fuel, as well as passenger traffic.
International Pressure on Tanzania Amid the Protests
The European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs has stated that Tanzania’s 29 October general elections were not credible.
“These elections cannot be regarded as free and fair. What should have been a celebration of democracy, instead unfolded in an atmosphere of repression, intimidation, and fear,” said the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in a joint statement.
They accused Tanzanian authorities of months of systematic repression in the lead-up to the vote.
Also Read: US Embassy in Tanzania Elevates Its Travel Warning to Level 3
Additionally, the European Parliament statement noted that opposition leaders were harassed, arrested, and excluded from the process.
“The arrest and ongoing trial for high treason of opposition leader Tundu Lissu… exemplifies the collapse of democratic values and judicial independence in Tanzania.”
The MEPs highlighted the case of Tundu Lissu, demanding his immediate and unconditional release.
The members added that no credible election can take place when freedoms of assembly, expression, and the media are suppressed.
They also reported obstruction of observers and violence against critics. The MEPs called on international partners to act, warning, “Silence is not neutrality – it is complicity.”
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