Malawi President calls for illegal immigrants crackdown

President Mrs Joyce Banda has  said Malawi has  high rate of illegal immigrants most of whom claim to be asylum seekers from countries that have not been at war for a very long time , saying all illegal immigrants should be removed.

Banda, speaking on Friday when she presided over the commissioning of police-officer cadets and the pass out parade of newly recruited police officers at Zomba Police Training College, said many illegal lags were claiming asylum when they have no founded fear of persecution as their countries have not been at war for many years.

“We continue to arrest about 500 illegal immigrants in a week. It is surprising that many foreigners ask for asylum in Malawi yet there is no war in their countries,” said President Banda.

“Let me ask the Inspector General of Police, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Immigration Department and all stakeholders to seriously look into the issue of asylum seekers at Dzaleka camp, where we keep them,” she said.

The Malawi leader said the influx of illegal foreigners is a violation of immigration laws that has brought in Malawi advanced criminal activities including drug trafficking, robbery and theft.

President Joyce Banda presents a Presidential long service award to a police woman during an officers passout at Zomba Police

“I thank the Malawi police service (MPF), the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) and the immigration department for making sure to step up security in the country.

“Crime has been reduced and illegal immigrants are being arrested with the support from the traditional leaders and the public,” said President Banda.

She advised Malawians to report to authorities about individuals they suspect that they are foreigners living  illegally in the country.

On his part, Inspector General of the Malawi Police Service, Loti DZonzi said they would do everything possible to completely eradicate the problem of illegal immigrants in Malawi.

He also asked traditional leaders and the general public to continue providing support to the police in a form of tips that have already led to the arrest of some hardcore criminals some of whom include immigrants.

the immigration department this year has recruited about 300 officers to among other duties, man the country’s boarders in order to curb the problem of illegal immigration.

A lot of illegal immigrants mostly from Somalia, Ethiopia and eastern African countries have been intercepted although they attempted to enter Malawi through other means other than boarder points of Malawi.

Minister of Home Affairs Uladi Mussa pledged government’s commitment to protecting is citizens.

He called on Malawians to report through the tall free line ‘0800990997’ any suspicious person or activity in order to help the police in maintaining law and order.

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