The Immigration Department in Chirundu has arrested five Ethiopian nationals for entering the country illegally.
Immigration Department Public Relations Officer Mulako Mbangweta said the five foreign nationals, who entered the country through Kasumbalesa border post, were in transit to South Africa.
Ms. Mbangweta told ZANIS in Lusaka today that the foreign nationals were apprehended by alert immigration officers at Chirundu Border.
The illegal immigrants arrested last week are currently detained in Lusaka pending prosecution.
She explained that immigration officers at the border post were able to establish that the five were illegal immigrants upon discovering that their passports had not been stamped at the point of entry.
“Five Ethiopian nationals were last week arrested after they attempted to cross Chirundu border post in transit to South Africa. The five entered the country illegally through Kasumbalesa and alert officers arrested them,” she said.
And Ms. Mbangweta has warned of stern action against any Zambian national found aiding illegal immigrants.
She said the department is concerned about reports of Zambians helping illegal immigrants to stay in the country or using the country as a transit point to other countries.
She said the trend is worrying and alarming as some Zambians are being paid to help some foreign nationals in transit to other countries.
“It is worrying and alarming that some citizens in this country are helping foreign nationals to enter the country through unorthodox means. Some foreigners are being helped to illegally stay in the country while there is a trend, where some are being helped to use the country as a transit point,” she explained.
Ms. Mbangweta said the department has observed a trend where some foreign nationals are attempting to use Zambia as a transit point to South Africa to strategically settle themselves in that country ahead of the 2010 soccer world cup tournament.
She said the department has since intensified patrols in border areas and mounted road blocks in strategic entry and transit points to curb the practice.
Ms. Mbangweta has since urged Zambians to be patriotic and help the department effectively contribute to national security.
ZANIS
Nice one guys. I am happy that they have been able to connect the 2010 world cup with Zambia’s security aswell. Thats what i call thinking. I am really against people migrating illegally. These people dont think that where they are going they are very much hated more than where they are coming from >its like running in the direction of a lion when you have the option to run in the direction of an impala. nice work guys..atleast some positive development.
Deport them ASAP ….
The bus drivers are the culprits smuggling pipo across the border. Last week i was on a bus from lusaka to Jhb, and on that bus there were 5 somalis with no documentation and were stashed in the back seat of the bus up untill Beit bridge. If this trends continues we will soon be blacklisted by the international comunity for abeting criminals. These somalis may be slowly building a terrorist cell in preparation for the world cup and Zambia would have been a part of the destruction that may happen
Ethiopia is messed up. No wonder its people are nomads. Being in the diaspora has taught me to be sensible to other immigrants. I wouldnt wish deportation on anyone.
its wild…
Good job.
Enjoy all.
_
Deut 1:17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; [but] ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment [is] God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring [it] unto me, and I will hear it.
Don’t condemn them when you know very well that theres zambians in the diaspora in the same situation
# ARE U 1 OF THEM
You Zambians are softies. No wonder you cried like babies when that woman drug trafficker was sentenced to death in China.
How did they crossed all the countries, did they use magic to reach Chirundu? The problem and the solution is the immigration chaps themselves.
cross not crossed
hey the law is the law.. we have rules in society and no one is excpetional. Thats why chiluba is able to walk free its coz of people like number 7, please you should learn that even those zambians found to be living illegally wherever you are will be sorted out.. so what makes ethiopians special?
One would think that there is nothing to attract foreigners to Zambia, going by the pessimistic blogs on this site. From long ago, while we sleep and complain about lack of this and that, foreigners are milking our resources. Ama Sene enriched themselves with emeralds in the 80s while Zambians were moaning about Kaunda and UNIP.
#3 Ba inzi
You should have reported them.
I guess they did not do nichekeleko to the Immigration Officer, elyo Yazanda. Its true I do not havebad comments for anybody who leaves their country looking for ubwikalo as am one of them, though mine I had the proper documents.
The only one I have a problem with are the drug dealers.
Selamta immigration, amasegnalo for arresting the Abbisynians.
The immigration department should have a window period before giving Foreigners especially Ethopians work permits. During the window period Zambians working with them should be privately interviewed on how they are treated because in my experience some of these people come here to chusha our people. They know once they are in no one bothers to check on them. Please look in to this.