Mbeya Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila has directed security organs to enhance patrols at the border with Malawi located in Kyela district to control migrants forcing their way into the country through illegal routes.
The RPC also ordered police officers to destroy all the boats that are said to be used by migrants to cross Songwe River which forms the border between Tanzania and Malawi.
The move according to Chalamila is part of precaution measures that Mbeya is implementing to protect its residents from being infected with Covid-19. He insisted it was important to control illegal immigrants in the country especially those from Malawi because the country had already reported to have three coronavirus confirmed cases.
“I am leaving here all the security officers in my convoy, they will have only ones task which is to boost security and make sure no aliens enter the country illegally”, said the Regional Commissioner.
He however warned drivers of transit vehicles to avoid carrying passengers in their vehicles as well as attempting to assist foreigners to enter in the country. He warned that stringent measures will be taken against them which include confiscation of their vehicles.
Kyela District Commissioner, Cloudia Kitta said: “We have consulted our counterparts in Malawi on how we can jointly implement preventive measures against the Covid-19 pandemic. We are enhancing security at our side because we are not satisfied with the measures the Malawian government is taking in fighting against the disease”.
She added: “We have banned Malawians from coming into the country, but there are some few who enter through illegal routes”.
Kitta claimed that the aliens use boats to cross Songwe River, but they have been jumping out of the boats and swim back to Malawi whenever they saw Tanzanian police on patrols.
DC Kitta said that they had quarantined some Malawians who entered into Kyela district without permits. She said they will be subjected to a 14-day quarantine to see whether they are infected with coronavirus disease before repatriating them.
Meanwhile, Kyela residents had faulted the government’s decision to ban them from crossing to neighbouring Malawi insisting the move has affected them economically.
A trader, Agrey Chilala who conducts businesses at the border said they also depended on customers from Malawi.
He said: “Our businesses had been affected but yet we need to abide by the country laws”.
The Malawi-Tanzania border is an international boundary that separates the two countries. Most of the border is formed by River Songwe, whose source is located on the mountains to the south-west of Mount Rungwe.
