Foreign nationals using Tanzanian Passports

[n00b]

It was like a huge joke when a friend of mine told me that there are nationals of neighboring African countries faking to be Tanzanians and then procuring Tanzanian passports in order to travel to Tanzania. It did not make sense to me until a few days ago when I actually see with my own eyes that it is true! I could not believe it.

I met a Kenyan lady on June ,2009 . She informed me she just came back from Tanzania and she loved every bit of her stay. Thinking that obviously, she is married to a Tanzania and that might have been the reason why she went to Tanzania on a visit instead of her native Kenya. Yes, she is married, but not to a Tanzania. She is not even from the Swahili speaking part of Tanzania . She speaks English and one can hardly understand her cut-and-join Swahili . She went on to tell me how she came to the United States through the Asylum Visa about six years ago. Having got the visa and having spent more that six years in America, she started missing home badly. But since her asylum status would not allow her visit her country directly, where she was supposedly persecuted, she decided to travel to a neighboring country and then go to Kenya by bus. She said that she chose Tanzania because our country is too big, nearer to her hometown, our border is porous and that our officials are more likely to take bribe.

So how did you do it ? I asked. She went on to reveal to me that it is impossible for her to fly direct to Kenya . So she decided to do what some people in her shoes do, which is to go to the Tanzanian Embassy and claim to be Tanzanian in order to acquire Tanzanian passports. She revealed to me that it was not difficult at all for her to do it since she was not required to prove her citizenship of Tanzania before the passport was issued to her. Why not get a Tanzanian Visa to travel? She stated that with a visa every time she wants to travel, she would have to get a new visa but if it is a passport, she does not have to go to the Embassy every time. My meeting with her did not end well, however.

I felt like I was kicked in the stomach when I returned home. I felt like it was a nightmare. The whole of that night, I was thinking about what to do to prevent this kind of ugly trend from continuing. I could not sleep. I kept thinking about my conversation with this strange lady. The callous way she described the process and her seeming bluntness, were, to say the least, disturbing. My sleep was labored and I kept having bad dreams.

So when I woke up the Following morning, I placed a call to the Tanzanian Embassy in Washington, DC, but unfortunately, the answering service informed me that I could only get them by phone only on Mondays through Thursdays by 9am-5pm except on public holidays. It was like the nightmare continues. The more I think about this issue the more I get confused, shamed, disappointed and in fact angry that I have to wait until Monday to say something to somebody about this issue. So I decided to put it out in writing so that Tanzanians would do something or say something about it to the highest authority. I have already sent an e-mail to the Tanzanian Embassy in Washington, DC to complain about this issue. I hope that something would be done about this and very soon.

That brings me to the issue of who can legitimately be issued a Tanzanian Passport. Invariably, only citizens of the United Republic of Tanzania could be issued with our passport. our constitution stipulates that Tanzanian citizenship can only be acquired by birth, by registration and by marriage.

It follows that it is criminal for foreign nationals to hold Tanzanian passports without first acquiring its citizenship. In this era of financial crimes and advance fee fraud, one would not be surprised if many foreign nationals use Tanzania passports to commit crime and then the international community blames it on Tanzanians. Tanzania already has bad name now , we all know that but some of the wire crimes are committed by other African countries and claim to be Tanzanian.

Also since many Africans claim that they are being abused or persecuted by their government or tribesmen because of one belief or the other in order to get the elusive American Visa, many of them do unimaginable things. Some gullible US Consular officials believe them and issue Asylum Visas to them. In this hard times, people can do anything to come go to America, but to put our country in bad light in other to achieve their own selfish end, should be condemned in strong terms

 

[Junius]

Mbona hii hadithi ya huyu mwanamama kupata pasi ya kusafiria ya Tanzania, inakanganya? Kweli inawezekana ubalozi utowe pasi ya kusafiria kwa mtu bila ya kumsaili...maana imeeleza hapo juu kuwa hata kiswahili hajuwi vyema, inawezekana vipi kwa maafisa wa ubalozi washindwe kugunduwa lafdhi za kiswahili cha Tanzania na nchi nyingine jirani kama kenya?

Kama hadithi ya huyu bibiye ni kweli basi itakuwa ama amehonga kupata hiyo pasi, hivyo kuonyesha kuwa maafisa wa ubalozi wa Tanzania si waadilifu, ama ameipata kwa njia nyingine anazozijuwa yeye lakini si kwa hiyo aliyoeleza!

 

[MkenyaMzalendo]

Even if this yarn was true, why the exaggeration? You talked about one person, but the title reads "foreign nationals". I thought you had uncovered a syndicate involving thousands of people.

 

[manyusi]

Haya mambo ni kweli wala si uongo, nchi yetu imeoza wala sio kitu cha kushangaza sikuamini pale ambapo watu wa Sri-lanka wale mabingwa wa kupigana msituni na kuvaa mabomu wanavyopata pass kirahisi tena kupitia kwa maofisa wa ngazi za juu wa uhamiaji na usalama wa nchi.

Kuna mambo ya ajabu sana hasa uhamiaji ni kitengo kinachonuka uvundo wa rushwa. Nimefanya kazi na raia wengi wa kigeni wenye working permit za kupata kwa kuhonga nikashangaa sana na miaka miwili iliyopita nilipata kusikia kuwa baadhi ya maafisa wa uhamiaji wako kwenye payroll za makampuni makubwa ya kigeni ili kurahisisha utoaji working permit kwa wageni wao.

Huwezi amini jinsi raia wa Malawi na nchi nyingine za kusini walivyojaa katika nyumba nyingi za Mbezi Beach na hawana hata hizo pasport na ni sisi watanzania tunaowatunza na kuwapa kazi wengine hata kiswahili chao ni cha shida.

Tunahitaji rehema za Mungu tu kwa Taifa hili kupata viongozi waadilifu.

Chagua Chadema Chagua Dr. Slaa

 

[Bongolander]

I met a Kenyan lady on June ,2009 . She informed me she just came back from Tanzania and she loved every bit of her stay. Thinking that obviously, she is married to a Tanzania and that might have been the reason why she went to Tanzania on a visit instead of her native Kenya. Yes, she is married, but not to a Tanzania. She is not even from the Swahili speaking part of Tanzania

Nafahamu kuwa kuna watu wasio watanzania wana pasipoti za Tanzania, na kila mtu anafahamu kuwa Pasipoti ya Tanzania inapatikana kiurahisi sana. Kuna mtu amewahi kuniambia yeye alipiga simu tu kwa mtu akamwambia lete picha za pasipoti na baada ya siku moja akamletea pasipoti nyumbani.

Ni kweli kuwa mipaka yetu ni porous hata serikali inajua lakini hina uwezo wa kuziba mipaka. Hata ikiweza kuna watu wanchukua milungula sana kiasi kwamba haisaidii hata serikali ikijenga ukuta kama ule uliojengwa kati ya Palestina na Israel.

Lakini aliyeandika hiyo makala anaonesha kuwa story hii amepika. Pamoja na ukweli uliomo, hvi kuna sehemu Tanzania ambayo kiswahili hakizungumzwi?

 

[Albedo]

Mbona hii hadithi ya huyu mwanamama kupata pasi ya kusafiria ya Tanzania, inakanganya? Kweli inawezekana ubalozi utowe pasi ya kusafiria kwa mtu bila ya kumsaili...maana imeeleza hapo juu kuwa hata kiswahili hajuwi vyema, inawezekana vipi kwa maafisa wa ubalozi washindwe kugunduwa lafdhi za kiswahili cha Tanzania na nchi nyingine jirani kama kenya?

Kama hadithi ya huyu bibiye ni kweli basi itakuwa ama amehonga kupata hiyo pasi, hivyo kuonyesha kuwa maafisa wa ubalozi wa Tanzania si waadilifu, ama ameipata kwa njia nyingine anazozijuwa yeye lakini si kwa hiyo aliyoeleza!

Ahaaa! hii Bongo Bana, nishawahi kusafiri na msomali mmoja akanionesha passport ya bongo nikachoka mwenyewe

 

[Abdulhalim]

Rushwa ya starehe (insert NGONO)

 

[Kudadeki]

Haya mambo ni kweli wala si uongo, nchi yetu imeoza wala sio kitu cha kushangaza sikuamini pale ambapo watu wa Sri-lanka wale mabingwa wa kupigana msituni na kuvaa mabomu wanavyopata pass kirahisi tena kupitia kwa maofisa wa ngazi za juu wa uhamiaji na usalama wa nchi.

Kuna mambo ya ajabu sana hasa uhamiaji ni kitengo kinachonuka uvundo wa rushwa. Nimefanya kazi na raia wengi wa kigeni wenye working permit za kupata kwa kuhonga nikashangaa sana na miaka miwili iliyopita nilipata kusikia kuwa baadhi ya maafisa wa uhamiaji wako kwenye payroll za makampuni makubwa ya kigeni ili kurahisisha utoaji working permit kwa wageni wao.

Huwezi amini jinsi raia wa Malawi na nchi nyingine za kusini walivyojaa katika nyumba nyingi za Mbezi Beach na hawana hata hizo pasport na ni sisi watanzania tunaowatunza na kuwapa kazi wengine hata kiswahili chao ni cha shida.

Tunahitaji rehema za Mungu tu kwa Taifa hili kupata viongozi waadilifu.

Chagua Chadema Chagua Dr. Slaa

Hapa watu wanazungumzia tatizo la passport nyinyi mshaleta mambo ya kampeni za uchaguzi.

I can't wait to see uchaguzi unaisha na huyo Mabere Marando kuanza kazi yake za kuipeleka CHADEMA kaburini.

 

[Kosmio]

Taarifa ya passport yetu kuuzwa kiholela ni ya kweli. Na huenda hata wakuu Immigration wanaifahamu. Kwa mfano kuna wahindi wanazo passport za TZ kwa familia nzima huku wote sio raia wa nchi hii. Na wamezipata kwa kupitia wafanya biashara maarufu hapa nchini.

Inasikitisha kwa kweli. Yote hii ni sababu ya njaa na tamaa walionayo watu waliopewa madaraka na kuaminiwa kwenye vitengo muhimu kama cha kutoa pasi. Uzalendo ni mdogo kwa kweli katika nyanja nyingi hapa nchini.

 

[Wacha1]

Mmeweka majambazi pale home office mnategemea nini? Waziri kazi ilishamshinda zamani sana ni aibu siku hizi tunawaangalia tu.

 

[rosemarie]

NASEMA ACHENI KUGAWA PASSPORT ZETU KAMA NJUGU,NAONA UCHUNGU SANA NAONA NCHI HAINA WENYEWE,NILIE AU NIFANYE NINI NYIE MLIOPEWA KAZI YA KUGAWA PASSPORT, MNAWAPA WARUNDI NA WAKENYA. MBONA SISI HATUENDI KWAO KUCHUKUA PASSPORT ZAO? :redfaces:anda:

 

[Madela Wa- Madilu]

I feel you men!

Si afadhari hao wa Tusi wanababaishia kiswahili? Kuna Wanigeria na waSenegal Kibao wanadunda na Pass zetu kama wanalia.
Ila hilo Dua lako haliwafikii bloo.

Tanzania inapendwa Pesa tu, wewe upigae yowe wanakuona wakuja ulokosa wasaa wa kuchuma.

 

[MkamaP]

NASEMA ACHENI NA MKOME KUGAWA PASSPORT ZETU KAMA NJUGU,NAONA UCHUNGU SANA NAONA NCHI HAINA WENYEWE,NILIE AU NIFANYE NINI NYIE MLIOPEWA KAZI YA KUGAWA PASSPORT MNAWAPA WARUNDI NA WAKENYA,MBONA SISI HATUENDI KWAO KUCHUKUA PASSPORT ZAO,MAFALA WAKUBWA WASALITI MUNGU AWALAANI MFE KIFO KIBAYA:redfaces:anda:

Mkuu, hebu nieleweshe mkenya, mganda,mnyarwada anachukua passport yetu, ili imsaidie nini. Maana sielewi kidogo,

 

[John W. Mlacha]

Mkuu, hebu nieleweshe mkenya, mganda,mnyarwada anachukua passport yetu, ili imsaidie nini. Maana sielewi kidogo,

KUSAFIRI , MIMI NISHAKUTANA NA WANAIGERIA KIBAO TU WANA PASSPORT ZETU WANADAI UKIWA NA US DOLAA 1500-2000/= UNAKAMATA PASSPORT HARAKA SANA YA KITANZANIA.
ITS true na wala sio uongo, kuna siku mtasikia mtanzania kalipua ndege ,

 

[Freetown]

Mkuu, hebu nieleweshe mkenya, mganda,mnyarwada anachukua passport yetu, ili imsaidie nini. Maana sielewi kidogo,

hujui ndugu yangu??, TZ wageni wanaingia masikini baada ya miaka mili mitatu ni matajiri, wanafanya lolote wawezalo kupata hela, biashara haramu, ujambazi, wakiona wako katika hatari ya kupatika wanatupa hiyo pasport na kurudi makwao, ndivyo nionavyo

 

[Madela Wa- Madilu]

Mkuu, hebu nieleweshe mkenya, mganda,mnyarwada anachukua passport yetu, ili imsaidie nini. Maana sielewi kidogo,

KWa shughuli zao za Kuuza madawa ya kulevya na biashara za Utapeli ni rahisi kwao kufanya wakiwa na Pass zaidi ya moja.
Sasa nchi zilizoweka mafala katioka ugavi wa pass ndizo hugeuka shamba la bibi.

Kuna nchi Duniani ukiingia na Pass ya Nigeria wanakushitukia saa hiyohiyo kuwa na Pass ya Tz au nchi nyingine yenye skendo hafifu ni mtaji kwao.

Maharamia wanahitaji pass nyingi iwezekanavyo.

Nchi nyingine duniani hata ukuwa na $25,000.00 hupati pass

 

[MkamaP]

hujui ndugu yangu??, TZ wageni wanaingia masikini baada ya miaka mili mitatu ni matajiri, wanafanya lolote wawezalo kupata hela, biashara haramu, ujambazi, wakiona wako katika hatari ya kupatika wanatupa hiyo pasport na kurudi makwao, ndivyo nionavyo

Nimewapata wakuu. Lakini siku hizi kupata viza wanachukua finger print, labda jamaa iwe mara yake ya kwanza kutoka. Na kuna wengine pia wenda wanazipata kutokana na wameoa/kuolewa na watanzania. Ila nakubaliana na hoja yako wanachukua kufanya uharifu kama ni kweli wanazo.

 

[Sungurampole]

Mkuu kama haya yanayosemwa ni kweli tumekwisha. Ndiyo maana inakua vigumu sasa kumtambua mtanzania haswa wanapokua nje ya nchi - tunaishia kupakwa kila aina ya matope. Nilisikitika kusikia kulikua na mtz kati ya watuhumiwa wa mabomu ya Uganda(AL shabab) wakati wa world.

Chanzo cha yote ni rushwa iliyokithiri

CHA KUJIULIZA HIVI UCHUNGU TULIONAO JUU YA HAYA YOTE NANI ATATUONGOZA KUUSHUGHULIA? Ni lini tutapata serikali makini itakayopiga vita rushwa?

 

[Freetown]

Mkuu kama haya yanayosemwa ni kweli tumekwisha. Ndiyo maana inakua vigumu sasa kumtambua mtanzania haswa wanapokua nje ya nchi - tunaishia kupakwa kila aina ya matope. Nilisikitika kusikia kulikua na mtz kati ya watuhumiwa wa mabomu ya Uganda(AL shabab) wakati wa world.

Chanzo cha yote ni rushwa iliyokithiri

CHA KUJIULIZA HIVI UCHUNGU TULIONAO JUU YA HAYA YOTE NANI ATATUONGOZA KUUSHUGHULIA? Ni lini tutapata serikali makini itakayopiga vita rushwa?

ni safari ngumu sana, itachukua zaidi ya miaka 10,labda maombi ya passport yaanzie ngazi ya kiiji/mtaa, yambatanishwe na mhitasari wa kijiji au madiwani husika atokako huyo mwombaji, na pia picha za waombaji zitolewe kwenye magazeti matoleo kama matatu hivi ili kuona kama kutakuwa na pingamizi lenye vielelezo na siyo chuki binafsi, ndivyo nionavyo kwa haraka haraka

 

[MkamaP]

Mkuu kama haya yanayosemwa ni kweli tumekwisha. Ndiyo maana inakua vigumu sasa kumtambua mtanzania haswa wanapokua nje ya nchi - tunaishia kupakwa kila aina ya matope. Nilisikitika kusikia kulikua na mtz kati ya watuhumiwa wa mabomu ya Uganda(AL shabab) wakati wa world.

Chanzo cha yote ni rushwa iliyokithiri

CHA KUJIULIZA HIVI UCHUNGU TULIONAO JUU YA HAYA YOTE NANI ATATUONGOZA KUUSHUGHULIA? Ni lini tutapata serikali makini itakayopiga vita rushwa?

yule mtanzania wa al shabaab uganda yawezekana kweli ni mtanzania, maana alikabidhiwa kwa uganda na serikali ya tz, na pia alikuwa na wakili wake.