Mnangagwa Vows to Target Foreign Job Trafficking Syndicates
President Emmerson Mnangagwa says the Government will target transnational syndicates that advertise non-existent jobs abroad under the proposed Trafficking in Persons Amendment Bill.
Mnangagwa made the announcement while delivering his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Tuesday, saying the Bill would seek to protect Zimbabweans from criminal networks that exploit people through fraudulent employment opportunities.
The proposed legislation comes amid growing evidence of Zimbabweans being recruited to Russia through promises of civilian jobs, with some later ending up fighting in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
A CITE investigation published in February found that recruiters were using WhatsApp, Facebook and Telegram to target Zimbabweans with offers of jobs such as firefighting and truck driving, before some recruits were sent to the frontline after arriving in Russia.
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The Government subsequently acknowledged the recruitment crisis. In March, Information Minister Soda Zhemu said 15 Zimbabweans had died and 66 others were still alive in Russia, while authorities began investigating what they described as a trafficking syndicate.
Several people have since been arrested in Zimbabwe in connection with alleged recruitment networks. In July, a Hwange man, Oscar Sifelani Mtshiya, appeared in court accused of trafficking five Zimbabweans to Russia under the guise of lucrative firefighting jobs. Prosecutors allege that the recruits were subsequently subjected to military training and deployed to fight in the war against Ukraine.
Against this background, Mnangagwa said the proposed Trafficking in Persons Bill would address emerging criminal threats and strengthen the Government’s response to trafficking.
“Of significance is the Trafficking in Persons Bill, which seeks to protect innocent citizens from transnational syndicates advertising non-existent jobs abroad. Government is aware of the need to respond to emerging criminal justice trends as well as public security and regulatory challenges,” Mnangagwa said.
The Bill is part of a raft of legislation the Government intends to process during the Fourth Session of the Tenth Parliament.
Mnangagwa said the proposed laws were intended to address emerging threats through prevention, control, enforcement and coordination.
“These are intended to tackle the undesirable scourge threatening our nation through appropriate prevention, control, enforcement and coordination,” he said.
Other Bills lined up for consideration include legislation dealing with healthcare, reproductive health, medicines, food safety, mental health and drug abuse.
Mnangagwa said the National Healthcare Provision Bill would seek to strengthen healthcare delivery and promote equitable access to health services.
“The National Healthcare Provision Bill, which seeks to strengthen healthcare delivery and promote equitable access will be tabled in Parliament. The Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council Bill will also be brought before Parliament to strengthen governance around reproductive health,” he said.
He said the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council Bill would review the existing law governing reproductive health, while the proposed Medicines and Allied Substances Control Bill would strengthen the regulation of medicines, medical products and allied substances.
Other health-related legislation includes the Medical Research Bill, Food and Food Safety Bill and Mental Health Bill.
Mnangagwa also said the Red Cross Society Amendment Bill would be aligned with current national circumstances.
On drug abuse, he said the National Drug and Substance Abuse Control and Enforcement Agency Bill was awaiting formal introduction in Parliament. *CITE*
