Refugees belong to Dzaleka, says Minister Chimwendo: ‘No turning back on relocation’
Minister of Homeland Security, Richard Chimwendo Banda, says there is “no turning back” and has reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to have refugees return to Dzaleka amidst an injunction still hanging in the air arguing that, by Malawi law, it is where they belong.
Last week some refugees led by Abdul Nahimana obtained an injunction to barricade homeland security from moving them to Dzaleka.
However, Chimwendo insists the stay order by the court is “temporary relief and not a ruling” and thus it was simply a “matter of time” before the refugees returned to where they belong.
Time up to relocate
In an interview on ZBS’s Tiuuzeni Zoona on Sunday monitored by Nyasa Times, Chimwendo said there was no way Malawi was going to “succumb to cheap noise and run like a banana republic.”
He said: “Malawians should not despair, they [refugees] will return to where they belong. Malawi signed a document in 1951 on how to manage refugees and that is what we are following.
“There has been a judgment on the same since 2006 as regards their relocation but they keep asking for more time. For this one we have been engaging them since last August and it does not make sense to us that they have been taken unawares.”
No hard feelings
According to Chimwendo, the relocation of the refugees is to “right a wrong” that has been committed.
“Once they are at Dzaleka they are given exit cards with which they can temporarily use once outside the camp. But most of them take advantage of these cards and think it is permission enough for them to open businesses in Chiradzulu or Karonga or Lilongwe. No,” said Chimwendo.
He said as a ministry they had no problems with the Rwandese or Burundians opening and operating businesses in Malawi.
“But we want them to follow procedures. As it is now, the fact is that we received them as refugees and they must therefore be treated as such. If they want to do business let them get proper documentation just like others from Ghana, China or Pakistani have done but that must begin from where they belong and that is Dzaleka,” he said.
He brushed aside speculation that they were simply against the refugees’ business ventures.
Records show that Dzaleka Refugee Camp has about 48 000 refugees but Chimwendo said it was only 1000 of those that his ministry wanted to relocate.
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Mukungothamangitsa ma burundi nanga atumbuka akungoyendayendawa bwanji?
The minister needs all support from all angles to preserve Malawi for Malawians and our generations to come. It is imperative to sort out these refugees now than later. If we fold our hands and watch these refugees gaining grounds while we are watching, we will regrate one day. Recently the government seems geared to take mining seriously as a way of elevating Malawi economically, let’s watch out on these refugees because they can be used as ahabour or a shield for the likes of the mishaps in Delgado- Mocambique. Let’s hold hands therefore as Malawians as we stand together… Read more »
Congratulations Anduna. Ku Mzuzu atithinikiza zedi. Kudabwa refugees k kupatsidwa malo kumanga zinyumba upstairs ma shop pomwe eni dziko akukanika kupeza malo. Azipita
Chimwendo is hereby supported 100%
Bravo Minister of homeland. These things reminds me of the shooting at a shopping mall in Kenya. Some of the shooters were traced back from the refugee camp in Kenya.
It’s dangerous to allow refugees to infiltrate a country so much like we have done they have nothing to lose. Kenya has the same problem and it faced the music 🎶
On the other hand we are all Africans. Naturalize them pls amene akufuna nanga akhalaa ma refugee mpakana liti?
Kodi refugee amadzilamulira kapena kulamulidwa? Akakana kupita kudzaleka azinka kwawo isa.Mukufuna kuti boma lakwawo liziti Malawi ikusunga dzigawenga? Apa pasavute afune asafune apite ku Dzachisiya basi.
Honourable Minister, there are over 900 illegal immigrants in Lilongwe city alone. Now you say there are only 1000 refugees. Are you not including those at at Chawantha Trading Centre near Dzalanyama, or those at Monkey Bay and Mchinji.
The minister is right. Laws of a country must be followed for the nations security. Refugees may also comprise extremists trying to infiltrate the country. Controlling refugees also helps prevent extremists like those in CABO DELGADO Mozambique. We should be very careful as a country in tolerating everyone in the name of being fellow Africans or fellow humans.
In the first place why get an injunction?? dziko la weni? mukukakakmilamo chiyani yet you were given a place for rests from your “war torn areas” Dzalekka is where they belong period. And most these of these kwao nkhondo zinatha why stay here?
kukupasani chipinda cha alendo kuti mugonepo pothawa nkhondo basi mukufuna mugone penapaliponse munyumabmo ngati yanu? talakwa kukuchitilani chifundo?? mukufuna mukagone ku main bedroom???? GO BACK TO DZALEKA and then plan for going back home!!!!
anduna athuwa akunena zoona. masiku anachoka anthu tapanga ndalama. tikunena pano pa burundu omwe amakhala kugwenya abwera dzulo usiku. Titetezeni anduna tikufinyika dziko lathu lomwe
True, some of the refugees in their countries the war ended and there is peace. Malawi is a loving country, we have been there for our neighbours, Who is going to solve the problems in their country?
❤❤ Malawi.
Very true our minister, these people are economic refugees that’s why they travel all the way from Burundi passing through 2 countries ,no even a Malawi timachotsedwa muma nyumba a rent chifukwa iwo amaudza eni nyumbazo kuti azilipira double the actual rental amount ,kingofuna kuti a Malawi asapange business