Karonga residents up in arms against refugee camp

Officials of Karonga and Chitipa Cultural Heritage have threatened of unspecified action should government go ahead to open a refugee camp at Kapiri in Karonga.

Leader of the Cultural Heritage Alfred Mwambira said the government should not impose the refugee camp on the people of Karonga.

“The camp is a security threat in Chitipa nd Karonga, we don’t want it,” said Mwaambira.

He accused the supreme Ngonde chief, Kyungu, of being an accomplice with the government in the matter.

Chief Kyungu was recently part of a government delegation which went to Uganda to learn on how refugees live there and how they are treated.

Members of parliament from Karonga and other stakeholders were on a similar familiarisation tour at Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa which is to be closed and its 28000 refugees resetled at Kapiri in Karonga.

Home Affairs minister Grace Chiumia said the government will go ahead to open the new camp despite opposition from some people.

UNHCR say it will spend up to US$25 million whilst the government is spending K100 million on the new refugee camp.