The government says it had already started implementing some recommendations of the response measures highlighted in the findings of the assessment of the effects of Covid-19 on trade in tourism even before the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic struck.

Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry Permanent Secretary Mushuma Mulenga said during the presentation of the 2021 budget to parliament, the Ministry of Finance made favourable pronouncements regarding the tourism sector.

The pronouncements were aimed at boosting the sector which is in line with the findings of this particular assessment.

Mr. Mulenga said this during a virtual joint launch of the findings of the assessment of the effects of Covid-19 on trade in tourism and Covid-19 response measures for Zambia between the Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Tourism in Lusaka today.

He said the Covid-19 pandemic has been cited as a global crisis affecting human health and wealth which has been acknowledged by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

He said the Covid-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption to the global economy and world trade as production and consumption are scaled back across the globe.

Mr. Mulenga further said the Covid-19 pandemic has wrecked devastation on trade performance for most business and industries including the tourism sector which has been identified as one of the hardest hit by the pandemic.

He said Zambia’s tourism industry, like other sectors, has been faced with hardships in terms of sustaining a good business environment hence government was prompted to put up measures that respond to the effect of Covid-19 on trade and business welfare.

“The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed that the total contributions of tourism to global GDP stood at 10 percent in 2019. However this was projected to contract by 20 percent to 30 percent in 2020 and further projected the Covid-19 pandemic could cut down 50 million jobs worldwide in the travel and tourism industry,” he stated.

Mr. Mulenga said this further prompted government to seek an in-depth understanding of the extent of the impact of Covid-19 on the tourism sector in order to facilitate evidence based policy recommendations given that the sector is profiled as one of the promising areas.

“The four modes covers consumption of tourism services from abroad using internets bookings, who physically travelled from one country to another to consume a services ,establishment of foreign businesses in Zambia to provide a service through foreign direct investment and foreign professionals such as specialist who travel from their own country to another to provide a service for a specific period of time,” he stated.

He noted that results for the assessment indicated that modes for consumption of tourism services from abroad using internets bookings and those who physically travelled from one country to another to consume a services were affected due to increased number of booking cancellations and reduced foreign spending and travel as a result of the lockdown measures imposed by most countries in the world.

He said the assessment results further indicated that the overall employment in the tourism sector had reduced by 39 percent from 2019 to 2020.

“The study also made a comparison of revenue between the second quarter of 2019 and 2020, the results indicated that 74.5 percent of enterprises reported of more than 50 percent in revenue and 22.2 percent of enterprise reported revenue decreases between 20 percent and 50 percent,” he explained.

He said the reduction in revenue was mainly attributed to booking cancellations and induced quarantine measures among other major consumers of tourism services.

The Department of Immigration has apprehended 46 foreign nationals for committing various immigration offences countrywide.

The suspects were apprehended between 12th and 17th February 2021. They include 15 Ethiopians, 10 Tanzanians, nine Zimbabweans, six Congolese, three Burundians, one American, one Malawian and one Mozambican.

In a statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka today, Department of Immigration Public Relations Officer, Namati Nshinka explained that officers in Luangwa also apprehended 33 male Ethiopian nationals for illegal entry.

Mr. Nshinka said the group of Ethiopians aged between 16 and 29 was nabbed on 16th February 2021, in Chitope village, 45 kilometres from Feira (Luangwa) boma.

He noted that the group was nabbed during an operation conducted by Immigration officers and officers from other security wings following a tip-off from alert members of the community.

He added that the Ethiopians failed to produce documentation legalizing their entry into Zambia and have since been transferred to Lusaka pending court appearance.

In another development, Mr. Nshinka disclosed that the Lusaka Regional Immigration Office has secured the conviction of two Congolese nationals, Banza Ngoie 53 and Fabrice Tshimba Doko 31, for being found in possession of a forged immigration stamp and aiding and abetting illegal immigrants respectively.

He stated that particulars of the offence are that Banza Ngoie, the now convict, on dates unknown but between 1st and 3rd February, 2021 in Lusaka, did forge an entry endorsement stamp for Nakonde border control which he endorsed in a Burundian passport number OP0221555 belonging to Niyounkuru Mediatrice without lawful authority.

In the case of aiding and abetting illegal immigrants in which male Fabrice Doko a Congolese national was jointly charged with female Regina Ndayashimiye 33, a Rwandese national, particulars are that the duo aided and abetted the stay of an illegal immigrant named Niyounkuru Mediatrice without lawful authority.

Mr. Nshinka added that particulars of the offence are that the duo on 1st February, 2021 did aid and abet the stay of an illegal immigrant by the name of Niyounkuru Mediatrice without lawful authority.

Both Banza Ngoie and Fabrice Doko appeared before the magistrate court in Lusaka on 16th February 2021.

Mr. Nshinka said Ngoie was sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labour, without the option of a fine while Doko was sentenced to pay a fine of K15, 000 or in default nine months simple imprisonment, while Ndayashimiye denied the charge and her case will be subjected to trial.

In another court development, the Department of Immigration between 12th and 17th February, 2021, secured 35 convictions for various immigration offences with the convicts receiving sentences ranging from fines of K200 to K12, 000 or in default to serve 24 days to nine months simple imprisonment.

He explained that the convicts included 12 Congolese, nine Tanzanians, four Malawians, four Zimbabweans and two Burundians. Others were two Namibians, one Rwandese and one Senegalese.

He pointed out that during the same period, the department also removed 78 illegal immigrants from the country, including 18 Congolese, 15 Malawians, 11 Ethiopians, 11 Kenyans and 11 Zimbabweans. Others were five Tanzanians, four Burundians, one Chinese, one Egyptian and one Senegalese.

Mr. Nshinka has since encouraged members of the public with information of an individual, business, or employer who may be aiding and abetting illegal immigrants to contact the Department of Immigration

Police in Kafulafuta in the Copperbelt province have unearthed a scam where smugglers are concealing bags of mealie meal in empty 90 kg cement sacks for easy smuggling into the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Copperbelt Province Police Commissioner, Elias Chushi has confirmed to ZANIS that one truck laden with cement was found with 50 bags of 90 kilogrammes each.

The 90 kg sacks were each containing five by 25 kg bags of mealie meal.

ZANIS reports that Mr. Chushi said three trucks were impounded this morning around 05:00 hours.

He said each truck was laden with cement but one truck also had concealed mealie meal destined for the DRC.

Mr. Chushi said after checking thoroughly, it was discovered that 285 by 25 kilogramme bags of mealie meal were concealed in 90 kg branded cement sacks.

He said upon being interrogated, the drivers revealed that the trucks were destined for the DRC.

He said the matter is pending investigations.

Mr. Chushi said police in Masaiti have since detained a woman, who is the owner of the mealie meal in question.

He said police in province are working round the clock to curb smuggling especially that this is the time when the scourge is rife.

The Copperbelt Police Commissioner has since commended his officers at the borders for being vigilant and ensuring that the mealie meal does not get out of the country illegally.

Mr. Chushi was accompanied to the scene by Ndola District Police Commanding Officer, Emmanuel Bwalya.