Immigration privileges for preachers revoked

Botswana has closed a loophole allowing pastors and preachers to avoid certain immigration regulations.



The special dispensation for men and women of the cloth allowed them to practice or hold church leadership positions, making it easy for foreign nationals to disguise themselves as preachers.



They could apply for a waiver and start work immediately on entry into the country, rather than having to wait while their applications for work permits were approved and processed.



In the last decade as many as three million Zimbabweans are thought to have fled to neighbouring states such as South Africa and Botswana, and further afield to Europe and Australia, to escape the economic meltdown in their country.



Zimbabweans are eligible to stay in neighbouring Botswana for 90 days if they produce a valid passport, but passports are difficult to obtain, while the cost puts them beyond the reach of most citizens.



Lebogang Bok, a spokesperson for Botswana's labour and home affairs ministry, announced on 22 October that "Effective 1 August 2009 ... All new applicants, non-citizens, priests, pastors and church leaders, etc., will be required to obtain work and residence permits before commencement of ministry or preaching in any church in Botswana."



The new regulations mean that hundreds of foreigners, particularly those from Zimbabwe and Nigeria, could be deported to their country of origin. Bok said the authorities would strictly apply the new measures.



"As a result of the removal of the exemption, those whose residence permits have expired, or will be expiring, are required to apply for work permits upon renewal of their residence permits. It is recommended that such applications should be lodged about six months before expiry and or renewal to avoid inconvenience," Bok said.



Church registrations



In 2008, Zimbabwean pastors Chris Chissana of Christ Embassy Church, and Edmore Chaka of the Abundant Life Ministries, were deported from Botswana and declared prohibited immigrants.



Christ Embassy Church has branches across Botswana and is one of the most popular churches in the capital, Gaborone; the branch in the low-density suburb of Block 8 has a membership of close to 2,000 people.



The regulations come on the back of the government scaling up its efforts to register all churches and their members in a bid to rein in foreign nationals overstaying their visas. There are an estimated 1,000 church groupings in Botswana.



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