News / Africa
Zambia police arrest and detain 21 Zimbabweans
30 Mar 2016 at 07:26hrs | Views
Zambian police on the northern shores of Lake Kariba have arrested and detained 21 Zimbabwean fishermen for trespassing onto the Zambian side of the lake.
Financial Gazette reported that the Zimbabweans are all from Kariba town. They were arrested while fishing near Sampakaruma group of islands, and are likely to appear in court soon.
Zambian police also impounded seven fishing rigs, five of which belong to one company, while one of the other two boats is said to be owned by a Zimbabwean government official.
Earlier this month, eight Zambian citizens were arrested by Zimbabwean police for illegally fishing on the Zimbabwean side of the lake.
Zimbabwean authorities confiscated the fishermen's kapenta and two fishing rigs.
The arrested Zambians were later convicted of poaching and are serving two years imprisonment for their crimes. The issue seems to have stoked tensions between Zimbabwean and Zambian communities living in and around the lake.
Kapenta Workers Union of Zimbabwe secretary general, Gerald Chimurewo, appealed for better relations between Zambia and Zimbabwe, imploring fishing companies to understand that fishing on the lake has been made difficult by receding water levels.
"As kapenta workers, we remain victims of the inhuman attitude by our employers who want catches, whether we face these arrests or not. Those fishermen were trying to get better catches due to the low waters affecting kapenta fishing since last year and they ended up in a Zambian prison," said Chimurewo.
Financial Gazette reported that the Zimbabweans are all from Kariba town. They were arrested while fishing near Sampakaruma group of islands, and are likely to appear in court soon.
Zambian police also impounded seven fishing rigs, five of which belong to one company, while one of the other two boats is said to be owned by a Zimbabwean government official.
Earlier this month, eight Zambian citizens were arrested by Zimbabwean police for illegally fishing on the Zimbabwean side of the lake.
Zimbabwean authorities confiscated the fishermen's kapenta and two fishing rigs.
The arrested Zambians were later convicted of poaching and are serving two years imprisonment for their crimes. The issue seems to have stoked tensions between Zimbabwean and Zambian communities living in and around the lake.
Kapenta Workers Union of Zimbabwe secretary general, Gerald Chimurewo, appealed for better relations between Zambia and Zimbabwe, imploring fishing companies to understand that fishing on the lake has been made difficult by receding water levels.
"As kapenta workers, we remain victims of the inhuman attitude by our employers who want catches, whether we face these arrests or not. Those fishermen were trying to get better catches due to the low waters affecting kapenta fishing since last year and they ended up in a Zambian prison," said Chimurewo.
Source - The Financial Gazette
