President Edgar Lungu has assented to a new law that will make the lives of refugees living in Zambia more conducive.The new Act will also allow displaced people to contribute meaningfully to the country’s economy.
Minister of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Lawrence Sichalwe says the Refugee Control Act of 1970 has been replaced by the Refugees Act Number one of 2017.Mr. Sichalwe says the new Act has many progressive provisions.He says the Act domesticates the 1951 UN refugee convention and its protocol as well as the 1969 OAU convention on specific aspects of Refugees in Africa.
Sichalwe said the Act focuses on regulating and not restricting the movement of refugees in and out of settlements.He disclosed the development in Kalumbila District when he officiated at events to mark the 2017 World Refugees Day.Mr Sichalwe said the new Act further guarantees refugees right to free primary education.
Meanwhile, Zambia has received over 1500 refugees since January this year.
Earlier, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees -UNHCR- outgoing country representative Laura Lo Castro thanked the Zambian Government for continuing to host refugees.
And Senior Chief Mumemna of the Kaonde people of the North-Western Province challenged leaders of the Great Lakes Region to find lasting solutions to wars that have ravaged the region.
Job well done.
What a caring president
It is commonly believed that refugees are harmful to host nations and drain precious state resources, as those seeking salvation require accommodation, healthcare, basic supplies, food and clothing. Another presumption is that the provision of employment to refugees takes jobs away from residents and drive wages down, while the inflow of thousands of children places pressure on a country’s education system. Yet there are various theories and examples that argue the contrary.
The bottom-line from a humanitarian point of view is that refuges are a great additional and president Lungu is doing what we all knew he had- a caring heart.
A round of applause people!
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Bakabwelelemo Kumwabo bonse!
WE ARE A PEACE LOVING NATION – A BEACON OF PEACE THAT SURPASSES HUMAN UNDERSTANDING
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Yes we are the host to refugees from countries where civil obedience has broken down. We are hosts to homeless people who once had homes like you and I. We apply a human face to the needs of people running away from places they once called home. No Zambian should be turned into a refugee though.
That is why we need to safeguard our homeland. Pronouncements from Senior Chief Mumena, one of the Zambia’s finest and educated leaders, needs support and recognition. Indeed if all sub regional countries were to be peaceful, prosperity will dawn. Kindly enhance our home land security so we can be an example of a free but peaceful nation. God bless Zambia.
Send them back home and give free education to Zambians
So you want thousands dead or seriously harmed ? Gosh ,some Zambians have no heart at all.
We need to look at the refugee situation using the looking glass.
Ignoring the root cause of the refugees problem will not help us. We shouldnt see ourselves as special people immune from such atrocities.
Zambia has been a haven of peace for our neighbours and ourselves. We need to pay close attention to what is happening around us. Rwanda is the best example. Intolerance led to a massacre of thousands of their fellows. The thoughts of many on this site and the country at large resonates with the thoughts of the people that started the massacre.
Lets purge our minds of all prejudices and live in objectivity and harmony.
Way to go PF!
At least Rwandan refugee (HH) has a place to integrate in society when he comes out of Mukobeko.
GBM is saved by this progressive law.
Zambians are living peacefully. Investors are pouring in. Business continues as usual while (HH) and Mutinta pray to Satan for the volcano to erupt.
Mr Kudos, you are evil and must repent. My young man, analyse the Refugee Act Number 1 of 2017 and don’t bring HH , Mutinta and GBM in the ambit of international laws. Go and Read Law at Zambian Open University for you to be relevant. Some lawyers are just being admitted at the bar as I write. Emulate them.
Lawyers act with great ethic manners. You may develop better manners
Rob, what are your qualifications?
You rub me the wrong way most times
You have my attention, that’s for sure.
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Mushota, you clearly are obsessed with ‘qualifications’, probably just an excuse to parade your own PhD again and again and again and…..
I assume that we ALL have QUALIFICATIONS – it’s called a BRAIN; some of us even USE it!
This article is vague…Lazy is at a Refugee Summit in Kampala. It looks like all countries have signed up to this; these empty tins want to make it as its a PF well thought through idea.
Bring refugees in millions and register them as voters.
@ 7 Jay Jay
Impressive observation. I can see you have a little extra grey matter.
Wait till Somali refugees infiltrate our towns due to this new *****ic law and they start blowing up people like they’ve done in Uganda and Kenya.
Increase the sample space it is necessary for the future.
Am so disappointed in the president for signing the law to guarantee outsiders conducive rights and living when our own people are wallowing in abject poverty. Zambia has become inhabitable for our people. Zambian people no longer feel safe to be Zambian. The place is simply not conducive to call home. There he goes pleasing foreigners by creating a conducive environment for them when most youths are running mad with poverty and high un employment levels.
Secondly am so so disappointed in Mushota and Kudos who comment on things they know nothing about. You two should desist from commenting ill about HH.By the way am a third year law student at the university of wales. YOU 2 IMPERI METIRIA ZOMBIES.
There you are typing away from RSA..do you know who refugee is? Most of the time its the UNHCR that funds Rufugee Schemes.
Only a few days ago, GBM was seeking for asylum in Swaziland. He never tried to go to the Central African Republic nor Libya. He understands the peril of xenophobia in South Africa. I believe ba G. Mwamba Bwalya is in a better position to appreciate the life of a refugee destined to live in a politically stable and peaceful foreign host country. Zambia is providing the lead in Africa. Hence, UPND with the support of Bishop Mpundu, Nevers Mumba, Mulongoti, Mmembe, Milupi etc should help us nurture peaceful co-existence among the diversity of our people in Zambia.
@Mushota ,you speak so well about refugees.Looks like you are a refugee?There are however various types of refugees,political,economic,religious,etc.Senior Chief Mumemna has urged leaders like Paul Kagame,Pierre Nkurunziza,Kabila,Salva Kiir Mayardit & the “rest” even new ones like our ECL to put their hhouses in order to avoid making refugees!!!
We are peaceful except in Namwala!
@JJ you will die of heart attack due to hatred! Loosen up! He shall NEVER be president in this country!
What 1500, since January? STOP PLEASE. That’s more than enough. We must not impinge on ordinary Zambians. We just don’t have the wealth and frankly, some come from Wrong religions not conducive to Christianity. We don’t want to end up like Sudan, Nigeria.
The only law we need is one that guarantees speedy return to their country of origin as soon as it is safe. It is good to help, but we just can’t afford it. A little is enough. This should not become a program.
Mushota, you should have quoted the source of you comment, significant plagiarism in you comment. You just copied the senstances from the article “Refuguse are an economic benefit not a burden to Europe – World Finance”. You are Phd hold plagiarism is not allowed.
Kudos again no fkesh on your posts and lack of vision. Its obvious why you are like that. Oh you woukdnt understand because you cant look in the mirror. The bare bones of your posts can be quite humorous but the again you dont have the brains to appreciate my post
well done my president, kip it up to 2021.
It is sad that in Zambia people will comment on issues they don’t understand, most of the refugee basic needs are provided for by UNHCR and not the Zambian govt, secondly refugees don’t just move anyhow they need to have a gate pass which given by the refugee officer of the camp the reside in.
We complain about how refugees finish the few resources and jobs that we have in Zambia. I would like to state that less than 2 p.c of refugees in Zambia are in formal employment the rest are self employed, and yet they make it in Zambia while our useless youths are busy drinking beer and putting the blame on innocent refugees.
We should begin to ask ourselves how they succeed in Zambia when they come with completely nothing? What is it that they have that we don’t have? What is it that…