The Government of Tanzania has granted citizenship to 150 refugees from neighboring country Burundi, a move that was hailed by the UN refugee agency.
According to the Minister of Home affairs Mathias Chikawe, those granted citizenship are refugees who have stayed in Tanzania since 1972 and have voluntarily opted to stay in the country in accordance to the agreement met between Tanzania and Burundi governments.
Tanzania hosted one of the largest refugee populations in Africa, sheltering hundreds of thousands of Burundians who fled ethnic violence.
Many Burundians returned home after the peace process began in 2002, but others preferred to start a new life in the country.
Meanwhile, fresh pre-election violence has erupted in the country prompting thousands of people to flee into neighboring countries of Tanzania, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to UNHCR, in the past two weeks more than 8,000 Burundians have left the country. As tensions continue to rise between government and opposition supporters, the fear is that many more people will become refugees.
By Sara Pelaji, Kiongozi Newspaper TEC; and AMECEA Online News Reporter
