This archive report was first published on 8 September 2019.
On September 8, 2019, Tanzania's Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda announced a plan to carry out door-to-door searches and registration of alleged immigrants in the country's commercial capital.
The move comes as xenophobic attacks in South Africa and strong backlash from Tanzania's parliament have made headlines.
According to Mr. Makonda's office, there were 16,000 unidentified visitors in Dar es Salaam last year alone.
Under the new directive, local community groups will be tasked with detecting 'strangers' or 'suspicious-looking people' in their areas and reporting them to the police or other law enforcement authorities for further action.
Mr. Makonda accused illegal aliens of misusing state resources, taking over jobs and education opportunities meant for Tanzanians, and endangering the country's social and economic stability.
