The Zimbabwe government has issued an apology to a Kenyan only known as African Tigress for undergoing a traumatic experience at the Robert Mugabe International Airport.
Tigress who uses @kenyansista on Twitter recounted how she was stopped at the airport for being a Kenyan.
In a statement on Wednesday, Zimbabwe said investigations are currently underway to ascertain the facts and anyone caught on the wrong side of the law will be dealt with accordingly.
“Traditionally, Zimbabweans are renowned for their hospitality and friendliness to visitors,” the statement read.
In her Youtube channel on Monday, Tigress said she was excited to visit the country since she had been admiring it for quite some time.
After a while, she decided to visit the region and her experience at the airport left her disappointed.
“I signed three forms before I reached the immigration counter… I then met a beautiful lady, gave her my passport and asked me why I was there in Zimbabwe. I told her I was visiting the country for tourism purposes,” she said.
Tigress said she was asked where she was staying and the contacts, which she provided to the officials.
She was going to stay at an Airbnb for three weeks.
I told her that I did not have money. I had like Sh5000 but she insisted that I should bless her with something small.”
African Tigress
“The lady left me there and mentioned to her colleague that I was from Kenya. She then said she can’t allow me entry because I am from Kenya,” she said.
She was told that most Kenyans use Zimbabwe as a way to get to South Africa which is not allowed.
Kenyans travelling to Zimbabwe do not require visa’s to travel to the region.
“I stood there for bout 30 minutes and she called an immigration officer before the man went away with my passport again to his bosses,” she said.
Tigress said the woman returned with the passport and asked her if she could give her some money.
“I told her that I did not have money. I had like Sh5,000 but she insisted that I should bless her with something small,” she said.
She said the officials at the immigration tried to intimidate her. That is when she suggested that they should deport her if they feel she is in the wrong.
“If I had tried to beg for their mercy, they would have used that as an excuse for me giving them money. So I resisted,” she said.
Zimbabwe’s ministry of Home Affairs said the alleged bribery attempts are not only deplorable but out of sync with the expected ethical conduct by staff manning the port of entry.
“The alleged unprofessional and criminal conduct by immigration officials does not reflect our attitudes and decorum as a nation towards our visitors,” the statement read.
“We sincerely apologise for the ordeal that our fellow sister was subjected to. We also take this opportunity to reaffirm our zero tolerance on corruption.”
