Parliamentary committee on Defence chases Immigration Department officials

The International Relations, Defence and Security cluster of Parliament has today sent back officials from the Department of Immigration who went to appear before the committee in Lilongwe.

The department was expected to appraise the cluster on the status of passport production in the country.

But immediately after introductions, chairperson of the committee Patrick Siyabonga Bandawe said the meeting could not continue as the department’s director general (DG) Charles Kalumo did not show up.

“We are not necessarily undermining your positions but considering the position of the director general and the importance of the issue at hand, we cannot proceed with this meeting. Until we make a fresh invitation and the DG is available to have an interface with this cluster, you can take leave,” he said.

In an interview later, Bandawe said Kalumo did not make formal communication on his absence to the meeting.

“The matter at hand is critical, a lot of young people are waiting for the passports to travel to Israel to work.”
The delegation was led by director of finance for the immigration department, Felix Phiri.

He said: “We have noted the concerns and will take the message to the director general.”

Source:NPL