Friday, March 29, 2024

Nakonde border closed after riot

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The Nakonde border in Northern Province has
been temporarily closed following a riot that erupted this morning leaving
three vehicles damaged.
The riot was started by Tanzanian traders conducting business on the
Zambian side when a combined team of Nakonde council and Zambia police
tried to move them from vending on an undesignated area.

The fracas that started at about 10:30 hours this morning has left both
Zambian and Tanzanian customs gates closed.

All officers and clearing agents at the border scampered for safety as
police fought with the irate Tanzanian nationals.

Nakonde District Commissioner (DC) Billy Silwimba confirmed the
development to ZANIS and described the riotous behavior by the Tanzanian
nationals as unfortunate.

Mr. Silwimba said normal business is expected to resume any time soon
adding that the confusion has been sorted out and what is remaining is for
the two authorities, the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) and their Tanzanian
counterparts to resume normal operations.

Mr. Silwimba assured importers and the local people not to panic as the
situation was now under control.

Meanwhile an eye witness told ZANIS at the border that the riot was
started when the combined team tried to disperse the Tanzanian nationals
who sale various merchandise on top of the TAZARA under bridge tunnel which
is on the Zambian side.

The irate Tanzanians started throwing stones and all sorts of objects on
the combined team of council and state police who pounced on them and
confiscated their goods.

Three newly imported vehicles which include a Toyota Hiace mini bus were
damaged in the process before a reinforcement of police officers from both
TAZARA and general duties arrived on the scene.

Heavily armed police officers have since been deployed to keep vigil and
DC Silwimba says officers will remain patrolling the area for some time.
ZANIS

7 COMMENTS

  1. Imaginary borders drawn by our colonial masters still divides us up to this age. What a shame 😮

  2. Ba mwachusa pliz dont bring confusions to our peace loving country. Trade in designated areas and dont take advantage of our friendliness to brake the law. Also law enforcing officials, please dont use force when addressing issues of such nature. Find an amicable solutions which will ease the tension before lives are lost.

  3. This is unfortunate, maybe the Tanzanians spotted an opportunity that was not being exploited by the Zambians and there must have been someone buying otherwise they wouldn’t just spread their wares without potential customers around! Of course there must be control but it could have been done amicably rather than forcibly or by confiscation of goods; the people at border areas are usually devoid of knowledge of the implications of such activities as they usually cross in and out and buy goods from wither side without much ado. Let pray that the situation gets back to normal soon….

  4. I feel very sad at this development. Its one border i like and appreciate so much. It brings out our closeness as Zambia and Tanzania. You simply walk across it at will without any questions or hindrances. You can decide to take your meal from any side of the border within minutes. Thats how it should be. However Security forces from both sides should be vigilante so that no one takes advantage of the “free” situation.

  5. This is sad…Tanzania and Zambia are like brother and sister from the same father and mother. Pls we do not need such issues to make us start living like step bothers and sisters coz we are one. The police should learn to handle issues without causing such incidents. I love our brother Tanzania and no one will make us become enemies not even the police!!!

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