520 Rwandan immigrants leave for home voluntarily

Ngara. A total of 520 illegal immigrants from Rwanda have voluntarily returned home, with 150 of them reporting at Rusumo border post late yesterday.

The Rwandan government was quoted by the BBC Swahili service yesterday as saying they have made all the preparations to ensure the returnees were well received in their motherland.

Rwanda Foreign Affairs minister Louise Mushikiwabo was quoted as saying that her government will not expel Tanzanians living in the country illegally.

As they were leaving yesterday some of the Rwandans said they felt sad to leave the country.

“We were very much at home here among people who gave us employment and shelter,” a Rwandan who introduced himself as Antoine told The Citizen at the Rusumo border post.

President Kikwete issued the order during the Heroes Day at Kaboya Camp in Kagera Region instructing all illegal immigrants to leave immediately along with their livestock, whereby any of those who will not comply would face punitive measures.

An immigration officer at Rusumo border post in Ngara District, Mr Samwel Mahirane, told The Citizen that Rwandan nationals left en mass.

“Since the order was given, there has been an increase in the number of immigrants crossing back to Rwanda,” he said.

He said 520 Rwandans had crossed the border post by 7 August following an ultimatum issued by President Kikwete on 29 July, this year.

The official said most of the illegal immigrants had settled in villages located in Ngara, Karagwe, Kyerwa ad Biharamulo districts while others resided in Runzewe, a small town near Rwanda frontier.

“All those leaving the country lack official documents legalising their stay in the country,” he added.

He said the ultimatum given by the President ends on Monday, next week, after which the relevant authorities will start pursuing illegal immigrants still living in the country and take punitive measures against them. Explaining further, the officer said the government in Kigali officially assured safety to all those who would return home.

He said the Kigali government, however, had issued the condition of livestock herd size cut in order to suit the country’s environment, which is already heavily populated.

“Kigali aims at minimising the number of animals so as to enhance owners’ financial positions and safeguard the environment against degradation and overgrazing,” elaborated Mr Mahirane.

The officer used the occasion to warn residents and government leaders in Kagera and Kigoma regions not to use immigrants as cheap labours, a situation he said opened doors for illegal stay.

He said the immigration department had established that some immigrants were criminals or political dissidents fleeing from the hand of law back home.

“Keeping a person whose background is not known is very dangerous. Experience elsewhere shows that some spies have posed as immigrants while they were there to steal information about the host country,” he said.