KWALE, Kenya — Two Kenyan police officers were arrested by Tanzanian authorities on January 6 after crossing the Kenya–Tanzania border while pursuing a suspect accused of obtaining items by false pretence, in an incident that has once again highlighted persistent coordination gaps in cross-border law enforcement.
According to a police report filed at Lungalunga Police Station in Kwale County, the officers were attached to the Crime Office at Tononoka Police Station in Mombasa.
The report indicates that the officers crossed into Tanzanian territory while trailing a suspect who had allegedly fled Kenya to evade arrest.
At the time of their arrest, the officers were found in possession of two Ceska pistols, each loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition. Tanzanian authorities confiscated the firearms and placed the officers in custody.
The arrest was linked to the officers’ failure to coordinate their operation with Tanzanian security agencies before crossing the border, a requirement under regional security cooperation protocols and international policing norms.
Kenyan authorities acknowledge that the pursuit was conducted without prior notification or joint operational clearance.
Also detained alongside the two officers was a driver employed by the Coast Development Authority, who was operating the vehicle used during the pursuit.
The driver is said to have accompanied the officers as part of the operation and was held for questioning by Tanzanian officials.
While Kenyan police have not publicly commented on the legal status of the detained officers, security sources say diplomatic and security-level engagements were initiated to facilitate their release and the return of the confiscated firearms.
The incident is the latest in a series of cross-border law enforcement standoffs involving Kenya and its neighbours, often arising from unauthorised pursuits, porous borders and jurisdictional misunderstandings.
In May 2024, five detectives from Buruburu Sub-County in Nairobi were detained by Tanzanian authorities after crossing into Tanzania at the Tarakea border while tracking a motor vehicle theft syndicate.
The officers were released after diplomatic intervention between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.
Similar incidents have also been reported along Kenya’s borders with Uganda, particularly in the Lake Victoria region, where overlapping security patrols and disputes over territorial waters have frequently led to arrests and confrontations.
In one notable case in 2018, three Kenyan police officers and four fishermen were arrested by Ugandan security personnel near Usenga Beach on Lake Victoria.
The arrests triggered demonstrations by local residents, who accused Ugandan authorities of repeatedly harassing Kenyan fishermen operating in the lake.
There have also been instances in which Kenyan Coast Guard Service officers arrested Ugandan soldiers found operating within Kenyan territory, underscoring the fragile nature of border enforcement in shared or disputed zones.
Separately, in 2023, four Kenyan police officers were attacked by a mob and later arrested by Tanzanian authorities after allegedly crossing the border illegally during an operation, further straining operational trust between security agencies.
Under international law and bilateral agreements, security officers pursuing suspects across borders are required to seek permission from, or conduct joint operations with, host country authorities. Failure to do so can result in arrest, detention, and diplomatic friction.
