The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation has told members of parliament that it sent an invitation to U.S. senators to visit Tanzania amid a proposed bill by two U.S. senators, seeking to review U.S.-Tanzania relations and impose sanctions on Tanzanian leaders following the 2025 election killings.
This was revealed on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, during the presentation of the Ministry’s budget. The Ministry was responding to proposals by members of parliament that the government should seek a diplomatic solution before the bill is presented for a vote.
“Regarding those who tabled their motions, I asked about both of them, and neither has ever visited Tanzania. I have already dispatched an invitation, for your information, inviting both of them to come and visit Tanzania,” Minister Kombo told members of parliament.
“We will cover all their expenses, from accommodation to lodging. Let them enter the churches, let them enter the mosques, and see how people celebrate weddings together. “Let them see how people come together at funerals, how they gather in times of grief, and every matter that touches the lives of Tanzanian citizens, so that they may witness our nationhood and our identity,” he said.
He added: “We have already invited them, and we have already written the formal letter. If you require proof, we shall provide it.”
The proposed law, titled the Reassessing the United States-Tanzania Bilateral Relationship Act, was introduced on May 20, 2026, by Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, and Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas.
Since January 2026, Tanzania has ramped up its diplomatic efforts to soften the Trump administration’s response following the announcement of a review of U.S.-Tanzania relations. The efforts have reportedly been undertaken with the support of the U.S.-based firm Ervin Graves Strategy Group.
The President’s adviser on diplomatic affairs, Ambassador Lazaro Nyalandu, was in Washington, D.C., in early February 2026. Among other objectives, the ambassador was pushing for a potential visit by members of the U.S. House of Representatives to Tanzania and seeking out members who may be sympathetic to the Tanzanian government.
It is reported that Nyalandu was able to briefly meet Senator Ted Cruz and was seeking to arrange a second meeting.The government’s response in parliament on May 26, 2026, is so far the only direct response to the bill from the Tanzanian government.
The government also committed to seeking an appointment with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, including arranging a visit by the Speaker of Tanzania’s Parliament or by the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security once the appointment is secured.
