63 Ethiopian migrants have been detained by the Tanzanian police in the Njombe region while an additional 40 are reportedly on the run.
Over 100 Ethiopian persons according to the police, entered Tanzania illegally via Mombasa and Nairobi on their way to South Africa, but their lorry was stopped after an accident that occurred nearby over the Easter weekend.
According to Hamis Issah, the head of the Njombe Regional Police, a Scania truck carrying Ethiopian immigrants halted after colliding with a car, allowing the immigrants to flee.
The Police Chief said that the Ethiopians sneaked into the country through the porous border between Tanzania and Kenya.
“These Ethiopian nationals travelled from Nairobi and Mombasa then entered Tanzania through Tanga. We have arrested 63 and we are searching for 40 who are still on the run,” he said.
Tanzania has been identified as the main entry route for Eastern African illegal immigrants who smuggle themselves into countries in Southern Africa in search of economic opportunity.
The final stops for immigrants from the Horn of Africa are Mozambique, Namibia, and Botswana.
Tanzanian prisons house 4,419 illegal immigrants, whose upkeep costs the government roughly Tsh5.8 billion ($2.5 million) yearly.
It is pertinent to mention that in October 2022, the Malawi police arrested 72 Ethiopians who were found hiding in a forest reserve in the northern border town of Karonga.
Ten Malawians were also arrested on suspicion of being part of a syndicate involved in trafficking the Ethiopians.