million a-day on detainees and inmates

 

Summary

·         "The number of illegal immigrants in prisons costs the government about Sh15.54 million per day and if the situation remains as it is, the government will spend Sh5.673 billion annually to take care of the prisoners,"

Dodoma. The government of Tanzania spends about Sh15.54 million per day to provide various basic services to illegal immigration detainees and prisoners, Parliament has been told.

This was revealed on Monday February 6, by the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Security, Mr Vita Kawawa while presenting in Parliament the committee’s report from February 2022 to January 2023.

Reading the report, Mr Kawawa said that the information from the Ministry of Internal Affairs shows that from September to December, 2022, a total of 7,493 illegal immigrants were arrested in various places in the country.

"The committee found that from September to December, 2022, in various prisons in the country there were about 3,108 illegal immigrant prisoners and detainees," said Mr Kawawa.

He said the number has increased by 93 percent compared to the 1,608 illegal immigrants who were in prisons during the same period in 2021.

Kawawa said the number of illegal immigrants in prisons costs the government about Sh15.54 million per day and if the situation remains as it is, the government will spend Sh5.673 billion annually to take care of the prisoners.

He equated the amount of money used to take care of the prisoners the cost of 81,030 desks, with each desk costing Sh70, 000.

Also he urged the government and the authorities to come up with a long-term and feasible strategic plan that will ensure that Tanzania does not continue to have illegal immigrants in its correction facilities.