Government to crack down on “picketing” immigration officers.

Ministry of Homeland Security threatened to take action against Immigration Department staff who are planning to down tools today.

Yesterday, two letter letters purported to have been signed and issued out by Commissioner of Immigration and Citizenship Services Department wer in circulation encouraging commencement of an industrial action from Thursday 6th June 2024 with a focus on all immigrationformations (including borders and airports) closed.

The letter were addressed to Airlines operating in Malawi and Transporters Association of Malawi and another one addressed to Regional Immigration Officers (South, Centre, North and East).

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However, a statement signed by the ministry’s secretary Steven Kayuni said they will not resist to use the laws on the protesting officers as their actions are illegal as there has been no adherence to the processes laid down by law.

“The Ministry of Homeland Security would like to warn the said officers that being Security Officers within Immigration and Citizenship Services Department, proceeding with the alleged industrial action amounts to mutiny, criminal trespass and conspiracy to commit a felony.

“Further, picketing at any apparatus of the Immigration and Citizenship Services Department is an affront to National Security of the Republic of Malawi. Upon arrest and conviction by a court of law, there is a punishment of several years’ imprisonment.

“The Ministry of Homeland Security would like to notify all Immigration and Citizenship Department officers, all airline operators, all members of the Transporters Association of Malawi and the public that all Immigration Formations (including airports, border posts and offices) shall remain open and operational as normally expected,” reads part of the statement

The officers are pushing for the removal of their director general Charles Kalumo who they accuse of destroying the operations of the department.