Former Tanzanian minister Lazaro Nyalandu blocked from crossing into Kenya

Arusha. Tanzania’s former minister of natural resources and tourism, Lazaro Nyalandu, has been blocked from leaving the country for Kenya through the Namanga crossing point.

According to Longido District Commissioner Frank Mwaisumbe,  Mr Nyalandu - who contested for the Singinda North Constituency on a Chadema ticket - the ex-minister did not have the required documents.

"It is true that Immigration officials at the border have barred him from leaving the country as he did not have several documents including the car and other items that he was leaving with," he said,

He said the items that Mr Nyalandu wanted to cross with were still being held at the Namanga border and he has been asked to submit related documents.

"We have asked him to bring the necessary documents but should he fail we will take him to court," he said.

Mr Nyalandu quit the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) back in 2017.

Seeking asylum

Mr Nyalandu’s block comes a day after it was reported that former Arusha Urban MP,  Godbless Lema, had fled the country for Kenya.

He reportedly left the country through the same border post by road, along with his wife and three children.

He was received at the Namanga border by his lawyer, George Luchiri Wajackoyah, who said the politician will seek asylum in Kenya.

“I have handed him over to the Kenyan police for processing. He is ready to die in a Kenyan jail than by the Tanzanian police who are still pursuing him as we speak,” said Prof Wajackoyah in an interview with the Nation, even as he expressed fears of possible deportation of the politician.

Later, Prof Wajackoyah claimed that Mr Lema was granted asylum and had left the station.