Minister of Home Affairs Stephen Kampyongo says Government will only accede the African Union protocol relating to the Free Movement of People after it consults all stakeholders and has National consensus on the issue.
Speaking in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia when he transited to Hong Kong to attend a Security Summit, Mr. Kampyongo said it was a constitutional requirement to subject decisions of this magnitude to National scrutiny.
He said Government was hopeful that consultations on the treaty to allow for Free Movement of people would be complete before the June /July 2018 Heads of States and Government Summit in Mauritania.
The Minister said it was the desire of Government to be part of the continental agenda but was conscious of the fact that all decisions made by government must be supported by majority Zambians.
“We would like Zambians to have a say through their representatives in parliament before we can sign the treaty of Free Movement of people”, the Minister said.
The African Union during the January 2018 Summit adopted a protocol to the treaty Establishing the African Economic Community relating to Free Movement of persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment after a series of Member States negotiations in different platforms.
The Free Movement Protocol allows for solidarity and integrity on movement of people in Africa and reiterates shared values of protection of human and people’s rights to movement as provided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.
On the issuance of the African Passport, the Minister said Zambia was going to be part of meetings that have been called by the African Union to develop guidelines on specifications, Production and issuance of the African passport.
Member States would be required to adopt standardized and inclusive policies based on a continental design and specifications as outlined in Article 9 of the Protocol, which allows for each member states the right to issue nationals a valid African passport to facilitate movement on the continent.
He said the issuance of the African Passport will only commerce after the guidelines on specifications are agreed upon by all Member States.
Currently, Chiefs of Immigration of African Union Member States are engaged in developing guidelines on specifications, production and issuance of the African Passport. This will enhance ownership of the African passport by Member States and promote its issuance to citizens of Africa.
So Far, the African Union has issued the African Passport to all Heads of States, Foreign Affairs Ministers and Ambassadors accredited to the African Union.
Mr. Kampyongo who travelled with a five member delegation from the security wings was received at Bole International Airport by Zambia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia Susan Sikaneta who commended Government for the decision to consult the citizenry through their representatives in Parliament before acceding to some treaties at the African Union.
She said the Protocol of Free Movement of Persons was particularly sensitive and it was only correct that in a democratic dispensation like Zambia, adequate consultations were made to ensure security and sovereignty protection for the National good.
Ms. Sikaneta who is also Zambia’s Permanent representative to the AU disclosed that meetings were held with Member States to agree on mechanisms of how the African Passport will be issued by individual states.
On the Security Summit in Hongkong, Mr.Kampyongo emphasized the need for Zambia to modernize its security systems in order to conform to international standards.
He said the security institutions in the country would only be able to fight sophiscated crime through modernizing of security systems.
He noted the need to interface some security institutions with International security institutions.
On Cyber Crime, Mr Kampyongo said his ministry had put in mechanisms to ensure social media platforms are not used to trample of people rights to privacy.
He said it was unfortunate that Zambia had in the recent past witnessed a lot of cases of cyber bulling and swindling.
Excellent news
Thanks
Bb2014,2016
Ba Kampyongo, who did you consult on the apparent free movement of machete and panga carrying PF cadres as I saw in Chilanga last week? …
Great news, but we should set exemptions. War torn countries like Congo, in our case, should not be allowed into Zambia.
We will be treated with mistrust at Airports as they do For Nigerians, Somalis and Congolese. I think Zambia should say no to this.
NO NIGERIANS
NO SOMALIS.
NO BOKO HARAAM
NO NONSENSE
NO NIGERIANS
NO SOMALIS
NO BOKO HARAM
NO. NONSENSE
Mmmhhh , do you really wanna allow Somalis and Nigerians free movement into Zambia ? The AU is crazy on this one.
We already have Somalis and Nigerians in Panga Family. Can you not see them?
Here we are. Disaster. Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Ethiopia is going to fill the world with illegal entries.
As a Zambian, I would say lets guard Zambia jealously. We are where we are because of who we are.
Somalia is where they are because of who they are.
Already we have very strange behavior in ritual killings because of invasion of foreign culture. I am already worried about letting masses of Indians/Asians into the country.
Why can’t we develop the country ourselves please?
Thats a good idea Minister. The all thing need to be thought through very carefully. Unstable Countries like COngo, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Somalia, Burundi shouldnt be included.
Oooh Hell to such ,this would result in the complete eradication of some communities and an influx of people from unstable regime and a burden on peaceful countries.lets first allow free movements of people from zimzim,malawi and botswana or SADC region only.
Stop wasting our time. We elected you to decide things for us
I’ve always wondered why foreigners including Congolese prosper in Zambia while our local businessmen struggle. Even before independence ama Korekore from Southern Rhodesia with their ama bafa did far better than us..even buying Peugeot 404s. What’s wrong with us.
Great question, Ndanje, answering it is the way to prosperity!!!
What consultations? Did you consult on the national health bill? On the purchase of fire tenders, ambulances, road works? On tpin and borehole & rent tax etc etc. Why want to consult on this one. Is there no money to be made here? You have already decided what you gonna do so just go ahead and do it. Stop wasting our time.
You give free movement to Chinese and Indians but you stop your brother black Africans…..corrupt theives..
Thanks for considering public say on this , however I don’t think it’s a good idea. Zambrix is just OK
Free movement of people is what is making the Chinese take over Zambia because they are too free to move into Zambia
Chinese at grz vehicles. Free movements. Zambia the real Africa………
Nooo ,no way i don’t want to be blown off by Somalis or be a victim of Nigerian criminal scammers .Free movement should only be for SADC but even Congolese should be restricted entry.
Everyone is free to move except HH and HaJay.
Free movement of people across Africa will prove a scandal. Just respect country boarders and carry on with existing protocols of checking entry and exit and monitor illegals. Developed countries are reversing free movement of people across countries, why should we even start copy and paste such ideas? USA is reversing free flow of just everyone including banning some population from some countries. UK is retreating from the European Union mainly because lack of control of boarder subjected to free movement of people. What will happen is people will flock to any country whose economy is in better shape, overpopulate it and problems of theft and crime, insufficient infrastructure to charter for increased populations….etc etc. Problems with free movement of people between and among…
Young man Kampyongo, Zambians don’t want the stup1d AU idea of free movement; this is Islamic idea; it is a Nigerian idea to of load their big population on other nations like Chinese are doing; it is West African Idea; It is Somalian idea; we already have Nigerians false prophets coming into the country; some with drugs are cleared by our courts because of connections to state house;
We should not sign this treaty.Let us wait and see.This thing needs critical analysis.Countries which offer better social facilities,with better economies,good infrastructure will soon see an huge influx of people from poorer African States.This is the very reason South Africa is being cautious!!!!!
African people were free once upon a time. The Europeans came and divided the land. Africa has been divided ever since and Africans don’t think there’s anything wrong.
There will be a certain criteria they will use to issue out passports. In fact, it is not going to be easier to acquire this travel document as it is with our national ones.
It will in fact favor prominent business people even more to trade free in all corridors of African.
That is the way to go.
Did you consult people before putting your signatures on Health Insurance?
You do not need to hide behind consulting people excuse to say No to free for all entry for criminals just because they are as dark as us.
Better BA minister you consult with foreigners ,inverters to learn how to treat Zambians and good salary not k25, or k35 per day please …? Eg Sun share company, junta company
I don’t think this is a good idea for security purposes. criminals would be running through out the continent freely.
with various corruption levels in the different countries in Africa, we wouldn’t trust the criteria of acquiring the African passport