Masai hair plaiters warned

By NATION REPORTER WE are aware of the increase in the number of illegal immigrants on the streets of Lusaka mostly the Masai hair plaiters from Tanzania, Immigration Department public relations manager, Namati Shinka has disclosed.

In an interview with the Daily Nation, Mr Shinka explained the department had a major challenge because even after rounding the hair plaiters mostly the Masai speaking people, they found their way back into the country taking advantage of a 30 day permit.

He disclosed that in 2017 alone the department apprehended about 1,081 Tanzanians, mostly, hair plaiters who were arrested and detained, 172 were prosecuted, and 1,409 were served with notices to leave the country and 66 were deported.

“To stay longer, many of them come in as ordinary visitors and end up doing their hair plaiting business, which is not allowed. Others simply do not go back having exhausted their 30 days business visit day period. Such are usually arrested, prosecuted, or even deported,” Mr Shinka said.

He said that the department had about 12 different permits that they issued to foreigners but unfortunately the Masai did not meet all the requirements to be issued with such permits adding that for them to stay longer in the country they came in as ordinary visitors and opted not to go back when their 30 days expired.

Mr Shinka explained that the most appropriate permit that was considered for foreigners was a Cross Border Permit which allowed them to trade in goods that were listed on the Common list, for Zambia and Tanzania and that hair plaiting was not included on this list.

“The Cross Border Permit is issued to a citizen of a neighboring country who holds a valid passport (excluding Emergency Travel Documents).

“As we stand most of them are unable to apply for these cross border permits because most of them do not have passports they just use travel documents,” he said.

Mr Shinka disclosed that discussions to include hair plaiting on the common list were still on-going adding as a temporary measure, the department in 2016 decided that Tanzanian hair plaiters be issued with Temporary Employment Permits, provided they obtained valid passports.

“Unfortunately to date no single Tanzanian hair plaiters came forward to access this facility, the department will therefore continue to arrest, prosecute and remove those who have chosen to abrogate the law with impunity,” he warned