Isles steps up battle against human trafficking

ZANZIBAR: THE government has adopted an Electronic Boarder Management and Control System (EBMC) strategically to control human trafficking in the country, the House of Representatives heard here on Monday.

Acting Minister of State, Second Vice-President, Policy, Coordination and House of Representatives Mudrik Ramadhan Soraga told the house that the system enables the government to keep offenders’ records and stop offence commitment in the country.

The minister was answering a question by Mtambwe Representative Dr Mohammed Ali Suleiman, who sought to know the government strategies to control human and sex trafficking in the country, citing the US Embassy as one of the serious partners in dealing with the problem.

The minister said both the Union and Zanzibar governments are aware of the seriousness of the global problem, with Zanzibar being used as a transit route for “Employment outside the country.”

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He said some people travel on the pretext of employment without certified job contracts by the Ambassadorial offices, noting that in the January-August, 2024 period, the immigration department received three human trafficking victims from China.

The minister said the government has introduced a special arrangement to allow Tanzanians wishing to work abroad, saying the job seekers are required to possess the labour commission certified job contract. All job applications outside the country must pass through registered employment agencies in the country.