FORTY-TWO Congolese nationals on a human trafficking mission to South Africa have been intercepted and detained by the Immigration Department in Lusaka.
Immigration Department public relations officer, Mulako Mbangweta, said in Lusaka yesterday that 26 of those arrested in Lusaka last week were yesterday repatriated to the Democratic Republic of Congo while 16 were still in detention in Kabwe.
“We could not detain the Congolese nationals who were arrested in Lusaka because most of them are women with children as young as six months old,” Ms Mbangweta said.
She said the ones in Kabwe would remain in detention until the department completed its investigations. Those repatriated were arrested in Lusaka’s Kanyama Township some five days ago.
“From the interviews we have conducted so far, they look like they were being trafficked to South Africa. When people are being trafficked, they do not know where they are going and where they are,” she said.
Immigration officers arrested 16 Congolose nationals in Kabwe last week and picked up leads from them that another larger group had proceeded to Lusaka.
An unknown group of human traffickers is behind the scheme to move the Congolese nationals to South Africa.
Meanwhile, Minister of Home Affairs, Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha, has warned immigration officers against engaging in corrupt practices because it frustrated Government’s efforts at improving the country’s economy.
Speaking at a senior officers’ workshop at King Fisher Lodge in Lusaka yesterday, Lt.Gen. Shikapwasha said the Immigration Department was among the Government wings that were involved in the embezzlement of public funds last year.
“I would like to warn you that I will not take kindly to those embezzling Government funds. I am urging officers to examine themselves in terms of corruption in the rank and file of the department by ensuring accountability,” he said.
He was happy that the Immigration Department had raised significant revenue within a short period following the abolition of visa waivers in January this year.
He urged regional commanders to ensure accountability for revenue collections by controlling banking procedures and observing banking regulations among subordinate officers in order to stamp out corruption.
He urged the department to ensure that revenue collections did not dwindle.
He called on the officers to be disciplined because their department was a security wing of Government.
The minister directed the Chief Immigration Officer, Ndioyi Mutiti and regional commanders to strategise and help the country to be on time with the milestone economic achievements it was recording.
Gen. Shikapwasha said the country had embarked on economic revival ventures such as the multi facility economic zones that were attracting investment.
The minister commended the officers for performing well last year and for their intensified operations that sustained security of the country.
“The worst thing is to have foreigners harassing local people. You should continue with the operations but with a human heart. Zambia is a Christian Nation,” he said.
And Ms Mutiti said her department had continued to perform well despite transport and other logistical obstacles.
Immigration officers have flushed out undesirable immigrants. They detained 2,843 prohibited immigrants and deported 2,759 while 494 were prosecuted in the courts of law.
Ms Mutiti said the prevailing conducive environment had continued to attract investors into the country.
This has resulted in the department issuing 234 self-employment permits to investors, especially in the manufacturing industry. The department also issued 3,471 work permits last year.
She said the department collected over K57 billion against the targeted K24 billion last year.
Ms Mutiti said the tourist inflow has continued to rise and the department collected about K8 billion from five border controls in Livingstone.
“I wish to report that the same border controls have collected K1.7 billion within a five week period this year,” Ms Mutiti said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]

Fifty Chinese companies plan to invest over $800 million in a tax free zone in Zambia within the next five years under an agreement to be signed shortly, trade and commerce minister said on Tuesday.

Felix Mutati said Zambia and China would sign an investment deal to allow foreign companies, mainly from China, to start construction at the Multifacility Economic Zone (MFEZ) in the Chambishi town on the copperbelt.

Negotiations between Zambia and Chinese authorities were currently under way and an agreement was expected to be reached soon for the companies to start setting up in May, Mutati told Reuters in an interview.

Zambia had planned to allow only Chinese companies to invest in the zone. But Mutati said there was a change in policy.

“Initially we had agreed that this should only be a Chinese zone, but they (Chinese) want other foreign firms to come and invest in the multi-facility economic zone,” said Mutati.

“We are looking for a cocktail of companies that will add value to our raw materials to use the Chambishi zone. China is helping to attract other foreign companies on our behalf.”

Preliminary data provided by China indicated that the Chambishi zone would generate in excess of $900 million per year in turnover by firms that would invest in the processing of copper into finished products.

Zambian officials have not given details on which Chinese companies would invest in the zone but China Non-Ferrous Metals (Group) Co Ltd. is one of them.

China has drawn fire from Western nations and aid groups, who accuse Beijing of turning a blind eye to misrule, corruption and human rights abuses.

China argues it is spreading prosperity in the world’s poorest continent where the West has failed.

Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa has vowed to fight political opponents who try to limit or frustrate Chinese investments in the country.

The growing presence of Chinese firms in Zambia has prompted an anti-Chinese backlash in some parts of the country, with the main opposition party accusing Mwanawasa of allowing the Asian newcomers to exploit workers.

Workers at Zambia’s Chinese-owned Chambishi Smelter rioted over pay on Tuesday, injuring a Chinese manager and damaging property as a wage dispute entered a second day, a union official said.

Mutati said the Chambishi zone, which should be fully functional within five years, would initially create 6,000 jobs and offer incentives such as tax relief and easing customs duties on imported equipment and machinery.

Zambia’s government would build roads and set up telecommunications, and water facilities in the zone, said Mutati.