TANZANIA: More than 40 illegal immigrants arrested, charged in Mwanza

Written by MOSES MATTHEW in Mwanza.

 A TOTAL of 42 illegal immigrants in Mwanza Region have been arraigned in court for staying in the country illegally and in some cases, some few were ordered to legalise their status.

The Mwanza Regional Immigration Officer, Ms Anna Yondani told the ‘Sunday News’ in Mwanza city  that 42 illegal immigrants have been nabbed for the period of January to April, this year. “Those who were charged at the court are from Congo-DRC, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Uganda, Cameroon, America and India,” she said.

She said that among those who were arraigned were 10 women and 32 men, adding that regional immigration offices continue with efforts to control this influx. She added that the alleged illegal immigrants have changed the system of entering the country, after the government recently introduced a new tight system to control illegal immigrants.

She noted that the lake zone regions have become a new route used by the illegal immigrants who have been arriving from Kenya using Sirari border through Tarime, Mwanza Region to Mbeya where it is easy for them to cross to Zambia and Malawi up to South Africa.

Source: Daily News (28/04/2013): http://www.dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/16846-more-than-40-illegal-immigrants-arrested-charged-in-mwanza