It has come to light that some local officials in Mara Region have been issuing Tanzanian citizenship identity cards to foreigners who do not deserve to have them.
Regional Commissioner (RC) Adam Malima has been incensed by this illegal practice. He has warned that anybody found helping foreigners to get national identity cards will be punished with the full wrath of the law. The RC is right.
Foreigners must remain foreigners. Mr Malima says that corrupt officials on border points commit this felony out of greed. What is mind-boggling in Mara and elsewhere is that foreigners from other East African countries have resettled in border districts and have lived there for so long. They have, virtually, become “residents” who speak fluent Kiswahili and other local dialects.
So, it is difficult to detect them. He said the national IDs are meant to help legitimate citizens to be recognized during voting, at checkpoints, in banks and other establishment and to be easily identified in the eventuality of accidents at home and abroad.
Of course, we are aware that there are foreigners in this country who conduct own businesses or work at various locations. What these foreigners deserve is possession of legal resident or working permits--not Tanzanian national identity cards.
On a different note, it is imperative to mention here that illegal immigrants are a pain in the neck in this country. The nation is downright tired about their escapades. Too many of them are already in our jails swelling the number of prisoners and exploiting our resources.
The tide of illegal immigrant arrivals is so huge that immigration officers have virtually failed to control them. Some come into this country to pursue economic prosperity. Others are smugglers of counterfeit goods or outright thieves or even poachers.
And there are those sheer opportunists who are keen on improving their tattered livelihoods. Most of these unwelcome aliens normally avoid going through the rigmarole of immigration procedures to evade either arrests or travel costs and the mandatory fees.
It has also come to light that some of the people who trade in counterfeit, fake and substandard goods are actually illegal immigrants. These are more or less organized criminals who make huge profits.
It is these massive profits that they then use to interfere with effective enforcement of anti-counterfeits laws and regulations. Tanzania has a highly porous border that has little surveillance.
This weakness is exploited to the fullest by all sorts of foreign criminals. It is imperative to mention here that all sorts of illegal migrants must be prevented from entering Tanzanian territory. It is high time the State stemmed the rot.
Tanzania is for indigenous Tanzanians. Illegal migrants and criminals must stay away.
