Maravi

Govt deports Mbeza Safaris MD

Govt deports Mbeza Safaris MD
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Monday June 16, 2008 [04:01]

GOVERNMENT has deported Mbeza Safaris managing director Ian Manning for allegedly illegally staying in the country after the expiry of his temporary work permit. According to sources within the Ministry of Home Affairs, Manning, 63, was last Saturday deported to South Africa via Botswana by a combined team of Immigrations Department officials and some officers from the Office of the President Special Division. The source said Manning was arrested on Friday afternoon at the Immigrations Department where he and his family had gone to have their work permits extended.

"Yes, he was deported this morning Saturday through the Kazungula border to Botswana. From there, he will be taken to South African border because he possesses both an Irish and South African passports," said the source. "He is a very stubborn old man who even took the immigrations office to court. So I didn't expect Lieutenant General Shikapwasha not to sign the deportation order."

When contacted for comment, Immigrations Department acting public relations officer Ken Simenda referred all queries to Ministry of Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Susan Sikaneta who refused to comment but referred the matter to home affairs minister Lt Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha.

But Lt Gen Shikapwasha also referred all queries to the chief immigrations officer.
When informed that both the Immigration Department and Sikaneta said he was the only one who could comment on the matter, Lt Gen Shikapwasha responded: "Let me hear from the officials before I could comment."

And Lt Gen Shikapwasha yesterday said he could not comment on the matter as he was in church.

And Manning's family complained that he was being victimised for "stepping on the toes" of powerful people. Manning's wife, Cathlin, complained that her husband, who is also co-director of Luembe Conservancy, was being victimised by powerful people who wanted to alienate most customary land in the country and inflict more poverty on the majority rural people.

"Staying in Zambia would be a pleasure if justice was served. God loves justice, fairness and peace," she complained. "Manning's arrest after years of harassment and a huge fortune spent trying to help exploited people get a fair deal must be seen as a serious blow to democracy, decency and the rule of law. In fact, when they were arresting him, I told them that they should also arrest me because even my permit had not been extended. But they refused and took him a way to an unknown location. Fortunately, this morning yesterday, he sent me an e-mail and said he was in Francistown being accompanied to the Martin's Drift border with South Africa."

And a family friend Rolf Shenton said: "The harassment of Ian should also send shivers down the spines of all non-indigenous Zambians and the poor who invest their lives in a country that has once again been hi-jacked by greed.

"We can try to distance ourselves and say he had it coming to him, but for what? Speaking out against wrong? If we allow the weak in our society to become victims of state suppression, then surely tomorrow the same suppression will visit us. Foreigners have no rights, poor people have no rights, and actually no one has any rights except those paid for. Are we too busy selling mother Zambia to dubious investors to see the truth?" asked Shenton.

Manning has pledged to invest US $1.7 million into his business activities in the country.

Labels: DEPORTATION, MBEZA SAFARIS

posted by MrK @ 12:09 AM