By Iommie Chiwalo
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has asked authorities to trace all the Chinese nationals in the country to ascertain the status of their stay and to verify if indeed what they are doing in the country is tallying with the purpose of their coming into the country, as per the documents authorizing their entry and stay in Malawi.
In a statement made available to this publication and signed by CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa, says his organisation has learnt with shock on the revelations by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC’s) Africa Eye, about the racist video recordings of vulnerable children in Malawi, done by some Chinese nationals.
Namiwa says his organisation is of the view that the video recording incident is just a tip of an iceberg, pointing to the fact that some Chinese nationals could be staying in the country illegally and indulging in criminal activities.
He has since challenged the Minister of Homeland security Hon. Jean Sendeza; the Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Nancy Tembo; and the Trade and Industry Minister Hon. Mark Katsonga; with the help of the Immigration Department, the Malawi Police Service and the Malawi Trade and Investment Centre, to immediately commence a roll call to track and trace all the Chinese nationals in the country.
“The move is to ascertain the status of their stay and to verify if indeed what they are doing in the country is tallying with the purpose of their coming into the country, as per the documents authorizing their entry and stay in Malawi,” he says.
Adding that those that are staying in the country illegally, and those that are doing contrary to what they came to Malawi for, should be given 48 hours to leave.
“CDEDI would like to believe that the relevant government authorities are doing something over this outright insult, not only to Malawians but the black community in the world. All eyes across the globe are now on Malawi anxiously waiting upon the authorities to take action on this nasty incident,”
National Police spokesman Harry Namwaza has confirmed of the commencement of the investigation.
On her part, minister of gender and social welfare affairs Patricia Kaliati says her ministry is doing everything possible to have the perpetrators arrested and face the long arm of the law.
