STOP MISLEADING THE HOUSE AND NATION – Kampyongo tells Minister Of Home Affairs and Internal Affairs
…. “ as the Minister says “They are running away from danger….. it is incumbent upon me not to expose them I will not do that”…..
Today in Parliament – 28th February, 2023
Parliamentary Opposition Whip Hon. Stephen Kampyongo has called on the New Dawn government through the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security to stop misleading the nation on the matter on the 22 Afghan Nationals currently in country after being denied entry in South Africa by the South African government.
Speaking this afternoon when he rose on a point of order directed to the Minister of Home Affairs, Hon. Kampyongo stated that as former Home Affairs Minister he is very well preview to the Conventions that the country belongs to and the local procedures on asylum seeking.
“Madam Speaker, I have had a privilege of serving in the office of Home Affairs and I know the procedures that followed when someone is seeking asylum, I give a genesis madam speaker there is no way people can be pedestrians in seeking for asylum, I mention from Pakistan these people went to Zimbabwe and from Zimbabwe they wanted to enter South Africa which the South African Government denied?”
“Is the Minister in order to mislead us and the whole nation that these people are seeking asylum from his office here in Zambia when in actual fact the very minister stated earlier in this house and is on record is that these people are in transit to south Africa hence they are trying to chance to see what South Africa will do in the court process that these very 22 Afghan nationals have started, there is no such a provision? We know the conventions that govern asylum seeking we understand! And so is the Minister in order to mislead us now that these people are now seeking asylum from his office?”
And Kamfinsa Member of Parliament Hon. Christopher Kangombe, asked the Home Affairs Minister to tell the nation who these people are? Where have they come from? And what issue is making the said individuals seek asylum?
“I am sure members of the public who are following this very important debate would want to know, do we have the names of these 22 nationals? Do we have a record of who they are? Which organization they represent? Do we have facts details that would be provided today in terms of an update to the public because this is not a conversation for 156 members of parliament… I am very curious as to which people are we discussing? Who are they? Where are they coming from? What issues are surrounding these nationals?”
To the surprise of the House, the Minister of Home Affairs and Internal security said “I will not be an irresponsible Minister of Home Affairs to come to this house and start disclosing the details of people who are seeking refuge in this country, because if they are seeking refuge they are running away from danger and if they are running away from danger it is incumbent upon me not to expose them I will not do that”
Earlier when the shiwangandu parliamentarian asked the question on why the nation is hosting the said nationals, the Minister of Home Affairs said, “These individuals are in transit to South Africa, south Africa has not finalized considerations of their applications”.