Nairobi — President William Ruto has congratulated Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan on her re-election, even as he emphasised the need to uphiold peace and the rule of law.

In his message, President Ruto urged Tanzanian citizens and political leaders to embrace dialogue and tolerance even as reports indicated that hundreds of people were killed during the post-election period.

"Kenya and Tanzania share deep historical ties and common aspirations for the prosperity and stability of our peoples anchored in our shared history and our joint membership in the East African Community," he stated.

He reaffirmed Kenya's commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Tanzania and deepening collaboration within the East African Community (EAC).

Hundreds of people have been killed in Tanzania during three days of protests following Wednesday's general election, the country's main opposition party has said.

The death toll varies, and a nationwide internet shutdown is making it difficult to verify the numbers.

While a spokesperson from the opposition Chadema party told AFP news agency that "around 700" people had been killed in clashes with security forces, a diplomatic source in Tanzania told the BBC there was credible evidence that at least 500 people had died.