By Mkinga Mkinga, The Citizen Reporter
Dar es Salaam. South Africa has repatriated 108 Tanzanians who were arrested living in the country illegally and arrived in the country late last week by a charted flight, The Citizen has learnt.In an interview with this paper yesterday, the Commissioner of Immigration, Mr Magnus Ulungi, said he was aware of the development.

He said that South Africa had also embarked on a major project of repatriating illegal immigrants to their countries and some were from Tanzania.

“It’s true that we have received a group of 108 Tanzanians who were living illegally in South Africa. They were repatriated to Dar es Salaam in a hired flight,” he said.

Information obtained by this paper indicated that Tanzania will have to refund South Africa costs of hiring the plane for repatriating its people.

Meanwhile, Mr Ulungi said with about two days left before the minister for Home Affairs, Mr Shamsi Nahodha’s deadline for the major shake-up of the Immigration department, he has taken several steps to solve the issue of illegal immigrants.

Mr Ulungi said he had established that there was a network transporting illegal immigrants using lorries. “It has been a problem because even some senior government officials are involved….it’s not true that only immigration officers are involved in this syndicate,” Mr Ulungi said.

He pointed out the weakness of some government officials at a number of check points where immigration officers were not involved. He said illegal immigrants were not passing through ordinary borders.

He maintained that his department had established an ‘uhamiaji jamii’ programme in almost all regions to curb the syndicate.

He explained that since the Police force has been successful with its programme of community policing, similar methods are used by immigration officers in all regions. He said the officers explain to wananchi the effects of illegal immigrants to national security.

Commenting on the challenge facing his department, Mr Ulungi said most illegal immigrants were travelling at night while most of his officers slept.

Only two days are left for the deadline issued by the minister for Home Affairs, Mr Shamsi Vuai Nahodha, to undertake sweeping changes in the Immigration Department. Mr Nahodha called it “cleansing an underperforming docket”.

He was quoted by The Citizen saying that the rise in illegal immigrants was evidence that the department had fallen short of expectations.   

The minister added that some officials had been reckless and he had enough evidence meriting the shake-up.
The handling of illegal immigrants at all border posts is among areas that have come under the spotlight, with the minister declaring that he was “personally not impressed.” Sluggish management of border posts, he noted, was a serious threat to national security.

“In two weeks’ time I will announce major changes within the immigration department,” he declared, going on:
 “This comes after being satisfied with the evidence I have… I hope the reshuffle will awaken the department.”

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