Kenyan fans cheer their team during the 2024 African Nations Championship Group 'A' match against Morocco at Moi Internationals Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi on August 10, 2025.
On these pages in July 2006, renowned cartoonist Gado illustrated a perplexing phenomenon that defines relations between East Africans – the only thing that Kenyans, Tanzanians, and Ugandans agree on is that they cannot agree on anything.
Gado satirized that puzzling characteristic of East African unity with a caricature that featured three briefcase-holding men – a Kenyan, a Tanzanian, and a Ugandan – giving each other advice on what each needed to do to create more harmony between the three parties.
The Kenyan advised the Tanzanian to learn some English. The Tanzanian urged the Ugandan to learn some Kiswahili. And the Ugandan beseeched the Kenyan to learn some manners.
Kenya Harambee Stars fans rally behind the team against DR Congo during the 2024 Africa Nations Championship Group 'A' against Morocco at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi on August 3, 2025.
With the three countries joining hands to co-host 2024 African Nations Championship one may be nudged to believe that Kenyans have become saints, Tanzanians descended from William Shakespeare, and Ugandans are direct ancestors of Shaaban bin Robert.
At least that is what the Pamoja Bid would want us to imagine but online banter between Kenyans and Tanzanians has taken centre stage as a spectacular preamble to potentially tantalizing clash between the two countries deep in the tournament.
Kenya and Tanzania could in fact meet in the quarter-finals at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on August 22, if Harambee Stars finish second in Group ‘A’.
Tanzania, have already secured top spot in Group 'B' with a perfect three wins from three matches.
Meanwhile, the two friendly neighbours have been taking jibes at each other since the tournament began two weeks ago.
While Tanzanians’ have looked down on Harambee Stars’ pragmatic approach to matches, Kenyans have been quick to point out that Taifa Stars have a relatively easy group comprising Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Mauritania, and debutants Central Africa Republic.
Neither of those teams has played in a Chan final unlike Kenya’s group which has the pair of two-time Chan champions, DR Congo and Morocco, and Chan 2011 finalists Angola. Zambia, the other team in Kenya’s group, finished third at 2009 Chan.
In a clip that went viral online, some Tanzanians could be heard describing Kenya’s playing style as “horrible”.
Tanzania fans cheer Taifa Stars at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam.
“Their best player, Austin Odhiambo, is only good enough for the bench at Taifa Stars,” they chortled. Well, Odhiambo is Kenya’s top scorer in the tournament with two goals thus far.
Kenyans have mocked Tanzanians for the low attendance at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
While Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani has been filled to capacity for Harambee Stars matches and Nyayo National Stadium registered decent crowds for matches not involving Kenya, Tanzanians have struggled to fill the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium even when Taifa Stars are playing.
Their poor attendance of Taifa Stars matches has led Kenyans to brand them as “unpatriotic” and that they are only fans of Simba and Yanga, Tanzania’s biggest football clubs.
Mohamed Hussein Zimbwe (right) of Tanzania in action against Madagascar in Group ‘B’ match of 2024 African Nations Championships at Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on August 99, 2025.
When 10-man Kenya upset Morocco 1-0 on last Sunday another video popped up on social media of a Kenyan loudly wondering if indeed the losing team was the one that reached the semi-final of the 2022 World Cup or Tanzanian players who had bleached themselves.
Kenyans and Tanzanians are now itching for their teams to meet.
A quick sample of some X posts reveals that many Kenyans would prefer to meet Tanzania in the final at Kasarani, rather than in the quarter-finals at Dar es Salaam as that would be “embarrassing” for Kenya.
Kenyans expressed confidence in Harambee Stars overcoming Tanzania owing to Kenya’s superior head-to-head record with Tanzania. Excluding Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup matches, Tanzania last defeated Kenya an competitive match in 1980.
