President Jakaya Kikwete has said Tanzania is not
and will never evict any refugee but rather taking action against those
residing in the country without proper documents.
The President was speaking on the ongoing operation to sweep out illegal immigrants launched weeks ago. However, international media, especially the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) have misreported the operation saying Tanzania is evicting refugees.
Kikwete stressed that Tanzania will never evict any refugee since the country has no reason to justify such a move. According to the President, even if there is good reason to do so, it will follow international procedures.
“We have 264,000 refugees from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. They are in the camps in Kigoma region. Even if we had a reason to do so, we know the procedures. Tanzania has had experience of receiving, handling and treating the refugees well,” the President said on Wednesday during a meeting with the Chairman for US Congress Sub Committee on International relations and Budgets for Development Projects, Kay Granger, and the committee’s members.
“We could have communicated with the United Nations and the countries where the refugees originate before repatriating them. All the refugees are in the country and there is no plan to advise them to return to their countries of origins so far,” he said, adding: “People who are currently getting evicted are illegal immigrants in Kagera, Geita and Kigoma regions.
They have lived in the country for years and at one point they were given a chance to formalise their stay as per the country’s laws, but they missed the chance. We have no option for such people but to evict them.
We gave them two weeks to leave the country on their own. We gave them an extension of two more weeks. At least 34,000 illegal immigrants heeded the call and the remaining are being tracked in a special operation.”
“The operation shall continue until we sweep out illegal immigrants, some of whom are engaged in criminal acts, hijacking cars and buses, invading forests and grazing thousands of livestock in prohibited areas,” he said.
The President arrived in Washington DC on Wednesday from San Francisco in California where he was on a two-day official visit.
Meanwhile, President Kikwete has assured US companies keen to invest in Tanzania that they should not worry about China’s presence, saying it is not among the main investors in the Tanzanian economy.
Responding to questions on how the Chinese currency in Tanzania’s economy has affected investment of US companies, Kikwete said: “I assure you that there is no effect …China is in tenth position in investments, thus it is not among the leading countries in investing in the country. The first country is UK followed by Kenya, India and then South Africa…these are among the four big countries,” Kikwete said.
However China was among the countries leading in providing development aid and thus cannot be a threat to US companies interested to invest in Tanzania.
The President was speaking on the ongoing operation to sweep out illegal immigrants launched weeks ago. However, international media, especially the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) have misreported the operation saying Tanzania is evicting refugees.
Kikwete stressed that Tanzania will never evict any refugee since the country has no reason to justify such a move. According to the President, even if there is good reason to do so, it will follow international procedures.
“We have 264,000 refugees from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. They are in the camps in Kigoma region. Even if we had a reason to do so, we know the procedures. Tanzania has had experience of receiving, handling and treating the refugees well,” the President said on Wednesday during a meeting with the Chairman for US Congress Sub Committee on International relations and Budgets for Development Projects, Kay Granger, and the committee’s members.
“We could have communicated with the United Nations and the countries where the refugees originate before repatriating them. All the refugees are in the country and there is no plan to advise them to return to their countries of origins so far,” he said, adding: “People who are currently getting evicted are illegal immigrants in Kagera, Geita and Kigoma regions.
They have lived in the country for years and at one point they were given a chance to formalise their stay as per the country’s laws, but they missed the chance. We have no option for such people but to evict them.
We gave them two weeks to leave the country on their own. We gave them an extension of two more weeks. At least 34,000 illegal immigrants heeded the call and the remaining are being tracked in a special operation.”
“The operation shall continue until we sweep out illegal immigrants, some of whom are engaged in criminal acts, hijacking cars and buses, invading forests and grazing thousands of livestock in prohibited areas,” he said.
The President arrived in Washington DC on Wednesday from San Francisco in California where he was on a two-day official visit.
Meanwhile, President Kikwete has assured US companies keen to invest in Tanzania that they should not worry about China’s presence, saying it is not among the main investors in the Tanzanian economy.
Responding to questions on how the Chinese currency in Tanzania’s economy has affected investment of US companies, Kikwete said: “I assure you that there is no effect …China is in tenth position in investments, thus it is not among the leading countries in investing in the country. The first country is UK followed by Kenya, India and then South Africa…these are among the four big countries,” Kikwete said.
However China was among the countries leading in providing development aid and thus cannot be a threat to US companies interested to invest in Tanzania.
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN
