Ugandans in Tanzania face deportation

Aug 28, 2008

THE Tanzanian government is to launch a house-to-house search for Ugandans who illegally entered the country, the Missenyi district commissioner has said.

By Ali Mambule

THE Tanzanian government is to launch a house-to-house search for Ugandans who illegally entered the country, the Missenyi district commissioner has said.

“We have already drawn the plan to do this but are still awaiting funds to put the programme into action,” said Eriyas Maarugu.

He made the remarks on Tuesday at the Rakai district agricultural training centre during a border meeting with Ugandan leaders from Rakai, Mbarara and Isingiro districts.

“We shall invite you at the border to hand over those people who would have been arrested,” added Maarugu.
But the Rakai resident district commissioner (RDC), Aida Bikorwenda, who chaired the six-hour meeting, cautioned against the move.

“Tanzania is planning to do what South Africans recently did to foreigners although you are planning it more diplomatically,” she said.

Bikorwenda’s deputy Alice Kaggwa wondered why Tanzania would do that when thousands of their children were attending Ugandan schools.

“Your children are enjoying the free universal education schemes, which are only meant for our nationals but we have not chased them away,” said Kaggwa.

The Rakai LC5 chairman, Vincent Semakula, said there were many Tanzanians staying at Mutukula border and Kyotera, doing petty jobs without anyone interupting their activities.
“We are nurturing the East African cooperation but you are doing the contrary.”

But Maarugu, who was flanked by the Karagwe district commissioner, Frank Uhahulla, insisted on deporting illegal immigrants.

There was need for both countries, he said, to respect each other’s laws, adding that the law should not be disregarded for the sake of building good relationships.

Mbarara RDC Clement Kandole cautioned that the deportation should follow the due process of the law.

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