Muchinga Minister hails security agencies for being alert
Muchinga Province Minister, Henry Sikazwe has hailed security agencies in the Province for being alert in the prevention of crime.
Mr. Sikazwe says no meaningful development can take place in the absence of peace and security, saying security agencies should at all times remain alert and ensure all criminal elements are dealt with accordingly.
He told the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Chinsali yesterday that continued interception of illegal immigrants at Mpika by the security agencies is highly commendable.
Mr. Sikazwe said illegal immigrants are a risk to the security of the country.
Mr. Sikazwe was reacting to the interception of Thirteen (13) Ethiopian nationals two days ago who attempted to enter the country illegally by hiding inside a goods container of a Scania truck.
At the same spot last year, security agencies intercepted 5 illegal immigrants who were found hidden in a compartment improvised on the chassis of a truck.
In the latest incident the 13 illegal immigrants who entered Zambia through Nakonde border were intercepted at Mpika on Wednesday by a combined team of Immigration, Zambia Police and Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) officers.
Mr. Sikazwe has since appealed to the security agencies to remain vigilant and alert at all times to ensure bad elements who can destabilise the peace and security of the country are dealt with accordingly.
“I want to commend our security agencies for being alert in ensuring that there is peace in the Province and am also appealing to our security agencies not to relent in their quest to maintain peace and order in the province, “said Mr. Sikazwe.
And Mpika District Commissioner, David Siame who confirmed the interception of the illegal immigrants on Wednesday this week said that the 13 Ethiopian nationals were hiding in a Tanzanian Truck Registration Number T280 BFG from the port of Dar-es-salaam in Tanzania and was being driven by Gasper Pallangyo.
He further said those on board are aged between Fourteen (14) and Forty(40) years old.
The DC said the truck driver believed to be a Tanzanian national escaped the dragnet and disappeared in a nearby bush and a manhunt has been launched to bring him to book.
Mr Siame further said the incident happened at Mpika Weigh Bridge, where Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) and Police officers are stationed to check details of motor vehicles especially trucks.
He added that around 14:00 hours, while the officers were checking this particular truck, they requested the driver to open the back of the container but was hesitant saying he had no keys, that was when they realised that he was hiding something.
Mr. Siame said that the officers heard some noise coming from the container and decided to open the container, they were shocked to find people sitting alongside boxes of goods.
The DC has since commended the officers for a job well done, adding that the District Administration will continue monitoring activities and movements of vehicles on the roads as it is a transit district to other areas.
The illegal immigrants are detained in custody for further investigations.
The RSA govt should be paying us for this as these Ethiopians are going there Zambia is just a transit point.
We expect them to be alert because that’s their job, so there’s nothing extraordinary that they’ve done. The fact that the illegal immigrants went through Nakonde unnoticed should raise concern and those at Nakonde must be put to task for not doing their job. The problem is that some immigration officers have also joined the policemen and women in extorting money from drivers so they don’t pay attention to their duties. Most of these officers are traders at Nakonde. It’s difficult to find provincial officers at Chinsali because they’re usually in Nakonde for business at Govt expense
Chilufya Tayali should be querried.
Tayali invited them
Let them stay in Zambia,
They look better than PF cadres.