The Immigration Department says the country has recorded an increase in the number of foreign immigrants.
Immigration Department Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mulako Mbangweta, attributed the influx of what she described as economic migrants to the prevailing global economic recession.
Ms. Mbangweta told ZANIS in Lusaka today that more foreign nationals have continued to express interest to settle and work in Zambia following job cuts in various countries due to the world economic recession.
She however said the department is not keen to allow foreign nationals to seek jobs in the country because Zambia has enough human resource that flooded the job market.
Ms. Mbangweta further disclosed that the country has also recorded a reduction in business visitors and added that the department is still studying trends on the influx of other categories of visitors into the country.
Ms Mbangweta also said her department has scaled up patrols to ensure that foreign nationals do not cross the country illegally.
She said this is despite the manpower shortage that the department is currently facing adding that most border areas in the country are porous.
Ms. Mbangweta has also commended Zambians for being vigilant and reporting suspected illegal immigrants to the department.
She said members of the public should continue being patriotic and vigilant against illegal immigrants to enhance national security.
Ms. Mbangweta has however cautioned Zambians against assisting foreign nationals obtain national documents such as green National Registration Cards and passports.
She warned that those involved in the practice will be dealt with sternly if found wanting as the illegal practice is a danger to national security.
ZANIS/CM/ENDS/SJK.
What are they all after? The pastures must be green.
The proper question is, where are they coming from? We need statistics Nine Chale. Then we would compare the economy of their respective origins and question our own. I feel they are all from Zimbabwe and some neighboring countries and have learned to speak our local languages so that they can grab both the NRC and Zambian Passports. Be careful we are probably being invaded. Do not call the pastures green when our territory is full of immigrants. This may back fire.
We need to put measures in place
Ok let them in
Help them get legal papers. A lot of Zambians are all over diaspora, legally and illegally….
Bad move. Becoming a Citizen of a country also inflicts a lot of responsibility on the part of the citizen. Most of them are in Zambia to make fast money. We have to monitor the economy very closely.
I agree with you,let them get those papers so that they work and develop the nation,some of us who are in diaspora work hard also for the development of the nations we live in, Give them my Zambian papers coz i dont need them,i also got papers where iam
Even if you have papers from your country of residence. You can testify that it was not just an easy task. You have to fulfill a couple of things before you are given the papers. The same applies to the foreigners in zambia!!
What we need is to create criteria for desirable immigrants based on deficiencies identified through a database of available skills in the country. This way we’ll only admit people with highly desirable rare skills.
Zambia is a very beautiful country and all the Muzungus agree. The only problem is that Kwachas don’t have strength. Otherwise we would’nt waste a single day chasing after Euros in this cold, cold climate!
spot on bro.
Nine Chale you may be right but money alone is not the problem. We enjoy a social security in Germany that Zambia can never achieve with the present policies. The structures within government are also very poor but we are on the right track. Look at the way NRCs can easily be obtained by foreigners. This posses a threat to the national security. Something has to be done. I hope they will not change the NRC as they have done with the Passports. Cheers Bro
Does it mean Zambia is not affected by this animal called Global what? If not then what is MMD yapping about?
Just put them to good use. We have enough resources.
We have to be careful not to exploit the resources we have. Enough may not be enough.
hmmm……
Most foreigners are engaged in illegal activities.If their investment is legal, one can describe it as that of a farmer who milks his cow but never feeds it.All in all,foriegners are not welcome.
Only a small number should be allowed and this should be controlled.
This just reminds me of magande’s statement while he was still minister he said ZAmbia will not significantly be affected by the GLobal crisis. So this should also be an eye opener where i sthe government taking the money if at all they are when they are complaining about the crisis. Despite the crisis Zambia is likely to have 4% to 5% economic growth this year. When you look at the stock market LUSE you will notice that Zambia is the best performing. The other day i was reading something on the net and people from the developed world and i think there was a statement from IMF saying Zambia especially on the LUSE is thebest place to invest. Saying the bigest is JSE but best performing LUSE
Imwe mwe machona ya sopano (new machonas) yaku bulaya, have you taken a breather from insulting the Zambian government and Rupiah Banda. How long is the breather. Don’t forget to build a house back home and be embarassed when you come back. Don’t forget you will never be CEO of British Airways or BP or Lufthansa or GM there. Here the sky is the limit. BUILD A HOUSE OR HOUSES home.
They have obviously taken adavantage of the prevailing circus which is going on and they know very well that no one gives a damn s.h.i.t of who comes and goes out the country. Thats a Plus!
Welcome home senegalese, Malians, guineans, somalis, congolese, nigerians and our zimbabwean blood brothers. Welcome to the land of emeralds . The Zambian women will certainly look after you very well….they are always on the look out for ‘things’ foreign. Quality is not an issue but ‘strangeness’.
Thats naughty mbulawa!
Boyi walasa,…..they are always on the look out for ‘things’ foreign,our women will ”benefit.”
Hey let the foreigners come( go) to Zambia.After all, who is going to replace us Zambians in the diaspora.Take a leaf from the US. The nation has been built by (foreigners). You poor people like protecting your poor little nations from outsiders nowonder after almost half a century – shy 6 years, you are still poor. don’t be xenophobic like the zulus/xhosas inRSA. Foreigners are the most innovative and hard working anywhere in the world.The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof..Maybe Zambia should adopt the green card system- just joking!
Welcome to the brown pastures ba Immigrats,but Zed is to be blamed.Very weak and this allow the same to keep playing home ground **==
Does this imply that zambia is not affected by the economic crisis?.please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, of course it indicates at least that we are faring better than a lot of other countries. Immigration is an indicator of economic health…. just compare the numbers of migrants making the harsh and treacherous trek from Mexico to the US during times of economic boom and recession. They only take such risks if the grass is greener on the otherside. Otherwise, they won’t bother.
Pa Z, It looks like kulibe economic troubles,its good that others from those countries are seeing greener pastures there,like i said before some of us left to come where we are and we have found green grass and in the process we are developing the countries we are in,let those foreigners work if there are jobs so that Zed can develop,i mean work not crime,give them my papers coz i dont need them myself
#12 Nkole,i got a funso for you is building a house or houses the only way one can contribute to the development of the country,coz as for me before i came whereever iam,i saw alot of houses being built by people in diaspora but never had an effect on my economic life,no did i see it uplift the so many poor zedians living in poverty,what they built was for them not for me or my friends
Zambia and Africa has always been rich, it is the source of almost anything you want on earth. The only people who seem not to see and take advatange of the situation is the locals themselves. This trend of economic migrants will not stop, if anything, it will increase over the coming years. Zambians must move fast otherwise all opportunities will be taken by the new and coming residents.
Let them come in, give them papers so they can live and work in Zambia and please please please, inform them about the CEEC because it seems Zambians do not want to make good use of it.
I am not opposed to foreigners coming into the country, as long as they come to build it, it is fine by me.
WR69on comment2 ,
Empty statement by Mbagweta there, No figures to support her claims. Next time she shuld give us figure of how many immigrants entered the country during a given period. We are an educated readership, we need researched facts