Why do the Zambian authorities torture foreigners like the kabwalala and put them in prisons like CHIMBOKAILA and KAMWALA REMIND PRISON for 5years or 3 years because of travel documents.They stay there with out DEPORTATION.It is not fair because all of us we are AFRICANS.
Why the peoples of Zambia live in peace in our countries,they are not treated like the way Zambia Immigration treat the foreigners from others countries
like Tanzania,Burundi,Rwanda,Uganda,DRC,Kenya etc…..
I can ask for President Sata we was together in the prisons KAMWALA and CHIMBOKAILA in 2006.He knows how is it to put innocent peoples in prison.He was innocent that time like us foreigners.President Sata now is your time to save the foreigners.
By N.D
In August this year Times of Zambia carried a story that 11 Ethiopians have been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment each with hard labour after they pleaded guilty to the offence of Consenting to being smuggled into Zambia.
The Lusaka High Court sentenced the 11 who included a woman after the 11 took plea to the offence which is contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
The 11 had also been sentenced to nine, six and three months for admitting the charge of failing to appear before the nearest Immigration office upon entering Zambia, contrary to the Immigration and Deportation Act.
The convicts who had been in custody would have their sentences run from the day of arrest in December last year.
High Court judge Mungeni Mulenga, however, reserved judgment to the 12th accused person Berenet Abebe because he had been hospitalised to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), and his judgment was set for September 7, this year.
This was in a case in which, Daboba Habibi, Amenule Desale, Tagasse Selamu, Abdulahi Debiso, Biruk Alimue, Hussein Rahima, (only female), Abdi Aliyi Ahmed, Mubarek Ahmed, Abdurah Mante, Muta Kasim and Arab Tajure had been convicted on the said charge.
In count one, the 12 were facing a charge of Consenting to being smuggled Contrary to Section 9 (1) of the Anti-Human Trafficking Act Number 11 of 2008 of the Laws of Zambia.
In count two, the convicts pleaded guilty to failing to appear before the nearest Immigration officer upon entry into Zambia, contrary to Section 12(2) and Section 51(1) as read with Section 56 (1) of the Immigration and Deportation Act Number 18 of 2010 of the Laws of Zambia.
The convicts had earlier appeared before senior resident magistrate Aridah Chulu who could not pass sentence in the first count due to jurisdiction but sentenced them to various months in count one.
She then referred the matter to the High Court for sentencing in the first count where they were now jailed 15 years each with hard labour.
Facts before the court were that a group of Ethiopians left for South Africa where arrangements were made with an agent who was paid an undisclosed amount of money to take them to their desired destination.
The same agent on unknown dates but around December 2011 made the accused persons to cross borders without passing through the Immigration Department offices for their clearance as they were put in a container.
They then found themselves in Lusaka where they were apprehended and handed over to the Immigration and investigations revealed that the convicts had consented to being smuggled from Tanzania to Zambia.
President Sata your friends in prison from ‘back in da day’ need your help.Please lawyers,law makers change the archaic laws we have. Stop mistreating our brothers and sisters just because of borders drawn up by colonialists. This is 2012 not 1950 abash archaic laws and for goodness free and deport those Ethiopians.
kabwalala is a foreigner?? All along i thought it was a bemba word for thief
Clearly you can read
The problem is that there is a lot of corruption among immigration officers. Guys like Chavula need to be investigated.There is too much extortion of foreigners even those with genuine papers for staying in Zambia. Immigration officers know where the legal and Illegal immigrants are found Because of that, they always go on “tax collection” mission every month. Even those with papers have to pay or else there papers will be declared null and void.Minister of Home Affairs should do something aboput the corruption at Immigration.
Wise man indeed
What is the Ethiopian Embassy doing to assist its nationals before running to our President? Something fishy here 15years with hard labour for being an illegal immigrate? Anyway my African brothers and sister engage the Ethiopian Embassy to negotiate for you and even foot air ticket bill for your deportation or Ethiopian Airways can throw you in the cargo bay since you have no problem with travelling in containers.Â
Just rot there bama mbala
I truely wisth this was your father rotting in jail for such “petty” crimes…
Ba Brian you want ZED to be filled with foreigners without legal documents. please niga it can be a source of crime look at how these Nigerian are being arrested to drug traffickingÂ
ba kantanshi, do you how much it costs to keep them there? its way cheaper to let them go than feed them for all these years
Ok, in as much as i feel sory :( for you guys in jail (foriegners), and the treatment which is there, but the bottom line is that u were wrong, in the first place, wen u were gettng into the country u knew that u were supposed to have proper documentation to be allowed in the country, but u forgot all that, each country in this world has regulations, laws, rules to be followed but u ignord that, even immigrations has rules and laws, asking the president is not the answer, just go to your embassy thats why they are there to help they can negotiate on yo behalf
15 years with hard labour when nobody died??? The Zambian judicial system is so lame. In  all other countries (maybe except Zimbabwe), anyone caught without the right travel document is instantly deported to their country of origin, not given a prison sentence. This is injustice and a total breach of human rights (which is more and more  are exposed as lacking in Zambia). Think back t the time when Sata was sweeping the train platforms in London. did he have a work permit,or was he working illegally? If he had been caught working without a permit he would have found himself back home the next day. Let these people go back home. Your prisons are overcrowded as it stands, and I hate to think of hygiene. Adrian Chuulu needs to go back too school!!!
Though I feel sorry for you guys, however each countries has its laws and regulations it follows. You also were very wrong to enter Zambia without authority. So dont complain but humble yourselves guys. Just approach your embassies so they negotiate for you period.
Peace and Prosperity To Mother Zambia.Â
Who can support this nonsense they should make there stay legal. I have notice most of these are the Jihadist moslems we in ZED do not want bok Haram here.Â
Why not you are illegal you are then ones who even bring us problems.i cant support that sorwi.
just shut it and follow the rules of our country.Why do you think Zambia is a cheap country for foreigners.Zambians also suffer in foreign countries if they break the law, some even get burnt, killed or rot in foreign jails.
You author. President Sata is there for us Zambians and not you foreigners-leave him alone to do his job and let your ambassador speak on your behalf. the fact that you are able to express yourself in a Zambian newspaper shows you how good Zambians are. I do not think it is possible for anyone to put you in prison if you were innocent.
The truth is that Zambians are not treated well either in foreign countries especially Ethiopia. Zambia has been a warm and friendly country welcoming to foreigners but many foreigners have now mistaken our hospitality for weakness and stupidity. It is about time we protected our country from people who come here for ill intentions. No body is above the law. You punks have to face the full wrath of the law!
The sentences may sound harsh but that is wage s of sin. How can normal people agree to smuggled into a contianer to Zambia. These engaged in organised crime and instead of GRZ spending to much tax payers money keeping them behind the bars thus creating conjention in in already crowded prisons. GRZ should just consider deprting them back to Ethiopia or simply hand them over to Ethiopian embeassy. That would be a good deal for them.
They can release you now. Elections are in 2016 may be your appeal will be heard and voters will be on demand. for now rot my friend. Sorry but its reality here in zambia.
Instant deportation only allows them to come back with a better plan to avoid being caught. Jail time though too long in this case is just OK.
@11 Chilly: You are even proud to say Zambia is our country, a dirty country like zambia with places like Chibolya,Misisi…During the rain season in Chibolwa and some places like Soweto market there are young men  making money for washing people’s feet when coming out of the market,you are even proud of such a country stupid!!!!! Even here in Canada foreigners are traeted with respect and dignity. I struggled trying to get a work permit in Lusaka for 2 years but I was not given, I paid 2 million for it but It never came. Apon arrival in Canada I have been given a work permit already. Release those Ethiopian for the mistake they made of coming to  see how dirty is Zambia. Peolple are even drowning after a heavy rain.  Release themmmmm
so ba Micheal you are supporting criminality  ka. the point is they entered zed with proper papers.Â
Human trafficking is a serious offence, we should send a strong  message that our borders are not be used for trafficking of people. The Ethiopia embassy should intervene to repatriate it’s citizens.Â
@17 Michel, no country in the world hand out work permits anyhow, it depends on the conditions of being in that country. Do you give work permits to tourists? NO! Education qualifications also play a major role, why should we give a work permit to unqualified foreigner like you when we have many qualified Zambians who can do the job? Here in the UK, if you enter illegally, it will take you 14 years before they even consider you to qualify for visa or work permit. If you did not like our, why did you even go there? Learn to appreciate your origins, in the end it is the home we have. Zambia is not about Lusaka, it is big.
Ok, did you NOT break the LAW? Yes. Are YOU an ILLEGAL? Yes. Do you understand the reason why you’re behind bars? Yes. Are you a ZAMBIAN? No.
Do you have the right to a fair trial? Yes. Did you get one? Yes.
So shut tha F up and do your time. When you’re done, immigration will then deport you.
like you coment
@ Kantanshi, am just saying the truth. In North America, when you’re an ILLEGAL, once picked up by immigration, you’re NOT segregrated from the other “inmates” until you’re processed and then deported. For others, it maybe be years before that happens. The question is, why should it be any different in Zambia? You do the crime, you do the time. Chapwa.
15years for not having papers is worse than the nazis guys. Dont care what you say thats cruel and unusual punishement. We should be ashamed that we have these babaric laws yet brutal murders are getting 5years or less, child molesters are getting less than a year but we have plenty of tax payers money and space for somebody who was in the country illegally.
@ #20, my friend why stop there? Why not just pull them in front of the firing squad and put them out of their misery. To you 15yrs is fair for a harmless chap looking to better his life. Sometimes we should see it as an honor that people are risking alot to come to Zed. The proper thing to do is to deport them. As a matter of fact I am sure its cheaper to deport them than to feed them for 15yrs.
Open the floodgates and let foreigners in.Zambia is sparsely populated and could use some beautiful Ethiopian mix of genes.