Immigration authorities at the Mwanza border post say unpatriotic Malawian are aiding foreign nationals to enter the country illegally hence compromising fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is according to Mwanza border public relations officer, Inspector Pasqually Zulu who said authorities at the border have noted with grave concern that there are people around the formation who are taking the fight against COVID-19 for granted.
Inspector Zulu said that it is sad that there are so many unpatriotic Malawians who are still aiding and abetting foreign nationals to enter the country without following proper procedures amid COVID-19 preventive measures.
The publicist said it has been noted that people around the border post are doing this without knowing the consequences saying this will lead to further importation of the Coronavirus.
He also faulted travelers’ mindset towards the pandemic claiming most of them are not treating Covid-19 as a deadly disease.
“Challenges are inevitable at the formation in the fight of the pandemic with unpatriotic Malawians who aided and abetted foreign nationals to enter the country, using porous borders that we have as a nation and a bad terrain for Mwanza being hilly district,” he said.
“We still face challenges with the initiative with the travellers’ mindset towards the disease but good news remains that the situation has reached fait accompli, kudos to our medical personnel, in particular Port Healthy Department regardless of the obstinacy,” said Zulu.
Inspector Zulu said that in view of this, officers have been asked to step up adhoc roadblocks and snap checks in making sure that all foreigners are following immigration procedures when getting into the country.
He added that the joint border initiatives are aimed at stopping further importation and spread of coronavirus and they are so sure that their efforts will positively contribute to the efforts by government to avoid further spread of Covid-19 into Malawi.
Meanwhile, following government directives, all passenger services, border passes inclusive have been cancelled and only essential services are the ones that are being entertained through verifications that are being done by all key border agencies.
Zulu added that on top of that, each and every traveller is also exposed to new border formalities where Covid-19 tests are being done right at the border, and to make this initiative work, all immigration and Malawi Revenue Authority processes are done upon presentation of COVID-19 clearance form that must have a date stamp from the Mwanza border covid19 laboratory.
Upon the passports being stamped, Immigration counters have also a daily travellers information tracker form, where all data is entered in relation to cargo the truck is carrying, the drivers’ particulars, where the goods will be delivered and finally expected days to stay.
As of Monday June 15th, 2020 reports from the Ministry of Healthy indicate that Malawi has so far recorded 564 positive coronavirus cases with 6 deaths.
