Rwandan Minister of Local Government and Housing Protais Musoni has called on African countries to work together to improve the status of refugees.

Mr. Musoni said the current status of refugees worldwide is worrying as it gives no hope for a better future.
He said there should be concerted efforts in addressing the plight of refugees in the world.

Mr. Musoni was speaking today when he visited the Lusaka City Council to learn and share experiences in the running of the councils.

And speaking earlier, Lusaka Mayor Robert Chikwelete said the local authority values the relationship that exists between the Rwandan and Zambian governments.

Mr. Chikwelete said the Lusaka City Council has also enjoyed a good relationship with the Rwandan refugees, saying most of them have contributed positively to the economic development of the city.
He aid the Rwandan refugees have also conducted themselves well and the local authority was satisfied with their behavior.

Mr. Chikwelete expressed hope that the visit by the Mr. Musoni would cement the friendship that exists between the two countries.

ZANIS

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

Luangwa District Commissioner, Captain Stanislaus Kalunga, has expressed concern and disappointment over the failure by youths in the district to utilize equipment donated to them by government under the youth empowerment progamme funds.

Capt Kalunga said he was disappointed to find that most of the equipment donated to the youths were just kept in houses and not being utilized for the intended purpose.

He said this when he inspected progress on ten youth projects that were funded by government under empowerment programme projects in the district.

Capt Kalunga said government answered the cry of youths over non availability of youth empowerment programmes by donating tools for gardening and carpentry and tailoring equipment worth millions of Kwacha, which they have failed to utilize.

Capt Kalunga, who did not hold his disappointment, withdrew some of the tools from some clubs.
He said he would only return the equipment when the youths show commitment, failure to which he would give them to other clubs in the district that were committed and interested.

The District Commissioner further called for concerted effort from all stakeholders donating and funding projects to strongly monitor and supervise projects in order to achieve the goal towards the empowerment of youths in the district.

During the 2008/2009 calendar, government funded the youths in Luangwa district under youth empowerment programme millions of Kwacha for projects ranging from tailoring, gardening, carpentry chicken and goat rearing most of which has gone to waste.

ZANIS

A teenage girl, believed to be mentally disturbed, has been found dead with her left arm missing in Nsadzu ward of Chadiza District.

The deceased only identified as, Inoni, also had her right hand broken while the right thigh was found ripped by a sharp object.
The development has sparked fears that the recent suspected ritual killings reported in Chipata could spread to Chadiza.

Nsadzu Ward Councillor Dina Phiri, who confirmed the incident to ZANIS in an interview, said Inoni was an inmate at Nsadzu Mental Hospital and was known to wander about in the area unaccompanied.

She said Inoni, whose guardians could not be traced, also had an advanced pregnancy.

According to some Nsadzu residents Inoni went missing for three days before the body was spotted floating on Nsadzu stream by passersby last Thursday some 15 kilometers from Chadiza administrative centre.

Police from Chadiza Police station retrieved the body from the stream and it has since been buried.

When contacted for a comment, Eastern Division Commanding Officer, Mary Chikwanda, said she has not yet received the report on the matter.

ZANIS