A mapping report for the refugee relocation exercise shows that 2,000 refugees and asylum seekers have been living outside Dzaleka camp and 1,972 have since relocated to the camp
Secretary for Homeland Security Oliver Kumbambe said this Wednesday when he appeared before members of the Parliamentary Committee on Defence.
“The mapping exercise for refugees living outside Dzaleka camp managed to identify 2,000 refugees,” Kumbambe said
Chairperson for the committee Ralph Jooma expressed concern that the number of refugees and asylum seekers that have been identified is too small, taking into consideration that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had estimated that there were about 8,000 refugees living outside the camp.
“We have ordered the Immigration Department and police to further investigate the whereabouts of the remaining refugees that are yet to be identified. You never know; they could be haboured by Malawians,” Jooma said.
But Kumbambe told committee members that UNHCR figures were just estimates.
Meanwhile, the government has disclosed that out of the 2,000 refugees that were expected to return to Dzaleka camp, 1,972 have relocated there since the government launched its relocation exercise. The number includes some refugees who were living outside the camp and have left for Zambia, Mozambique and South Africa.
Acting regional immigration officer for the centre, Alexander Maseko, told committee members that out of the 503 refugees that have been cleared, 14 have been found with proper documentation to stay in the country and only one person is eligible to become a Malawian citizen after paying the required $20,000.
“However, I can confirm that, through the exercise, last week the Immigration Department deported eight people who had no documentation,” Maseko said.
Maseko has since warned Malawi citizens who are harbouring refugees in their communities that they risk being prosecuted.
He further said refugees resident outside the camp risk losing their refugee status as they are violating the law.
