TZ vs Kenya: Kenyans take to the internet after Tanzania bites back

In what can now be classified as the nadir of the ugly tussle, Tanzanian parliamentarians went bare knuckle, taking to the floor of their Parliament to throw open punches at Kenya - and openly setting the stage for a messy clash.

Evidently angry and combative, the MPs took turns to tear into Kenya - and Kenyans in general - heaping praises on their president, waxing lyrical about their own country and slamming a section of Kenyan leaders and activists for importing 'bad manners' to the notoriously quiet nation.

One by one, they took to the floor, angrily launching salvos and hurling scathing attacks at a country they had found reason to have unprecedented disdain for.

In that heated moment, no one was spared; they disparaged Martha Karua, derided Boniface Mwangi and berated Kenyan Gen Zs for their online notoriety, some going as far as wishing the Tanzanian authorities had meted much severe punishment on these pesky trouble makers.

It was perhaps the most brazen show of displeasure Tanzania had ever staged since independence and an indication that they had had enough of the Kenyan rabble-rousers, as well as the overall Kenyan mischief - and that they were prepared to fight to the bloody end.

While shooting straight from the hip, an evidently incensed Pandani MP Maryam Omar Said questioned why Tanzania's authorities let People's Liberation Party leader Martha Karua leave the country safe and sound .

According to Omar, Karua and her colleagues should have undergone severe punishment upon their arrival in the country and left nursing injuries as an example to others with similar intentions.

"We made a mistake by sending Martha Karua back there, and this mistake should not happen again here. How can someone come from there and bring their ignorance here and then supposedly be returned safe and sound?" roared the MP.

Geita MP Joseph Musukuma also stood up to make his unrestrained presentation, accusing Kenyans of meddling in Tanzania's affairs and chiding the country for its perceived linguistic superiority.

"We are far ahead of them politically and intellectually. We top in everything. Speaking good English isn’t a priority for us,” Musukuma declared, blasting the Kenyan habit of mocking leaders on social media.

He went on, "We in Tanzania have nothing to learn from Kenya—absolutely nothing. We surpass them in politics, intelligence, and everything else. And the English language is not our priority. We have no quarrel with ordinary Kenyans, only with these activists.”

Iringa Central MP Jesca Msambatavangu also chimed in, strongly defending the country’s youth, stating, “Tanzania’s Gen Z is awake and aware. We’ve raised our youth with patriotism, courage, and resilience. They won’t join forces with reckless outsiders who insult others online."

As tempers flared on the floor of the Tanzanian parliament, Kenyans on X took it upon themselves to defend their own honor, roundly slamming the Tanzanian MPs for their unsavoury statements, while at the same time upping the ante on an acrimonious war that appears to just be starting.

Muriuki Njogu wrote, "It is actually laughable that MPs in Tanzania don’t undergo training on diplomatic relations between states. Making such reckless statements could spur xenophobic attacks on Tanzanians living in Kenya and vice versa. I thought we had a useless parliament but TZ has a show for it. How ridiculous of these fools!"

Someone else said, "Tanzanian MPs debated Kenyan activists for 6+ hrs yesterday! Not even about policy or the cyberattack which caused the shutdown of X. Not even about the budget which is why they were in parliament in the first place! You really cannot make this stuff up!"

Chris Sambu also had a few things to get off his chest: "Tanzania has made Kenya their business and not in the spirit of Pan-Africanism, but with a tone soaked in disdain.From left, right, and centre, we are witnessing Tanzanian MPs, government officials, hurling insults and derogatory statements at some of Kenya’s key figures."

He added, "Each of the leaders regardless of political alignment represents a piece of Kenya’s democratic architecture. And yet, they have been subjected to open mockery by Tanzanian voices emboldened by silence & inspired by @SuluhuSamia . Is Tanzania testing Kenya’s diplomatic boundaries?"

As things continued to spiral out of control, some Kenyan internet sleuths even went as far as digging up private information regarding some of the vocal MPs captured attacking Kenyans.

Already, the private phone numbers of some of the female MPs, as well as their educational backgrounds have been widely shared on X.

Several Kenyan content creators have also jumped on the spiraling regional conundrum to create short videos castigating President Samia Suluhu and her stringest policies. Eric Omondi and Njugush are some of the comedians whose satirical skits on president Suluhu have gone viral.

As the exchanges continue to spread, both Kenya and Tanzania will be firmly holding fort, as neither appears ready to lose the fight - and no one appears ready to eat the humble pie. At least, yet.