Maravi

Nakonde border officials tighten security after Tanzanians riot

Nakonde border officials tighten security after Tanzanians riot
By Ketty Zulu in Nakonde
Sun 21 Mar. 2010, 04:20 CAT

SECURITY has been tightened at Nakonde border in Northern Province following the riotous behaviour by some unruly Tanzanian nationals who destroyed three vehicles last week.

The irate Tanzanian vendors rioted after a combined team of council and state police confiscated their merchandise, which they were selling on top of the Tanzania Zambia Railways (TAZARA) tunnel on the Zambia-Tanzania border, forcing the border to temporarily close.

Nakonde district commissioner Billy Silwimba yesterday said police officers had been deployed to man the TAZARA tunnel 24 hours daily and no person would be allowed to carry out any sort of business on top of the tunnel and near the customs yard.

“The government has decided to ban any form of business activity taking place on the place popularly known as the no-man’s land due to the continued riots being caused by the traders from both Tanzania and the Zambian side,” Silwimba said.

He said last week, three vehicles which were awaiting clearance were badly smashed and the operations at the border came to a standstill because of the riot by the traders in the area.

Silwimba said if this kind of behaviour by the traders continued, innocent people could lose their lives.

He called on the people living on the borderline to be peaceful and conduct their businesses from designated areas in an orderly manner.

Silwimba commended the security officers for moving in quickly to quell the situation, which became tense within a short time.

Labels: BORDER POSTS, MARKETEERS, TANZANIA

posted by MrK @ 11:42 AM