Overview

This book examines the complex realities of illegal in-migration in Southern Africa, with a particular focus on Zambia as a case study for understanding regional migration dynamics. It situates irregular migration within broader regional challenges such as war, armed conflict, political instability, and conflict-driven internal displacement, which continue to shape cross-border mobility patterns across the region. Drawing on a mixed-methods research approach that combines surveys, document analysis, and in-depth interviews with immigration officials, law enforcement officers, prison authorities, and cross-border traders, the study reveals key patterns influencing irregular migration. The findings show that most illegal migrants originate from seven African countries, with significant numbers coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. Many migrants are economically active individuals, particularly small-scale traders and entrepreneurs, reflecting the strong economic dimension of migration movements. The book further explores gender and destination preferences, demonstrating that women are more likely than men to migrate to Zambia, while Ethiopians and Rwandese tend to favor Zambia and Congolese migrants gravitate toward South Africa and Namibia. War-induced displacement, conflict, poverty, unemployment, land shortages, and economic instability emerge as the strongest drivers of irregular migration, outweighing traditional pull factors. Grounded in the theory of cosmopolitanism, the book proposes a regional mitigation model that emphasizes addressing conflict-related displacement, tackling structural poverty in source countries, promoting fair trade and education policies, strengthening coordinated migration frameworks, and fostering bilateral and multilateral cooperation, including the adoption of a common regional passport. This work offers valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, development practitioners, and stakeholders interested in migration governance, peacebuilding, and regional integration in Africa.

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