Awareness programme for wandering villagers

The restoration of peace in Angola has not proven beneficial for some rural Zambians on the other side of the border. At least four Zambians are arrested for illegal entry into Angola every month, according to Zambia's home affairs permanent secretary, Peter Mumba. The Zambian government now plans to launch an awareness campaign for communities living along the frontier in North Western province, with the immigration department responsible for ensuring that residents are sensitised to the dangers of entering Angola without proper documentation. "The problem is quite big. Before peace returned to Angola, it was very lucrative for Zambians, especially on the border, to cross into Angola and sell their merchandise, and they would be welcomed by rebels," Mumba said. "The Angolan government was not in control but now it has established border posts, but we are yet to establish ours," he explained. Villagers living along the border had not yet appreciated this development, hence the need for the awareness campaign. The programme is expected to cost between US $43,000 and $65,000 and will initially target traditional leaders. Besides petty trading, Zambian villagers cross into Angola to hunt, as poaching has depleted wildlife on the Zambian side. Another aim of the programme is to enhance security. "This year we are also running the 'Visit Zambia' campaign, so we want to ensure security is provided to people visiting Zambia. We want people to be security conscious all the time," Mumba said. The government intends intensifying police patrols in the North Western and Western provinces to address the issue of hired killers, commonly known as "karavinas", who are used to settle local scores. "The problem of karavinas is being addressed adequately," Mumba said. "In the past six months we have breathed a sigh of relief, though some arms are still falling into wrong hands."