Minister warns immigration officers against corruption

March 5 2008

By Mulenga Kasuba
Minister of Home Affairs, 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 March 4, Lt.Gen. Shikapwasha said the Immigration Department was among the Government wings that were involved in the embezzlement of public funds in 2007.
“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 2008. 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)