Malawi immigration authorities repatriate illegal immigrants
At least 344 Ethiopian nationals who were being held in various prison facilities under the Immigration Department’s custody are being repatriated.
The first phase has started today with the second phase set to conclude tomorrow.
“The excise starts today November 02nd with a total of 156 Ethiopian nationals to be repatriated using a chartered plane through Kamuzu international Airport,” says Pasqually Zulu who is the spokesperson for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services.
According to Zulu, the exercise is being conducted with assistance from International Organisations for Migration (IOM).
Zulu has indicated that the development will help to decongest the country’s prisons which are facing a lot of challenges including shortage of food as well as outbreaks of Covid-19 and Cholera.
On Thursday, 188 of them will as well be sent back to their country of origin.
The immigration publicist has however expressed concern over continued illegal entry of irregular migrants specifically from the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa who he says use Malawi as a transit route.
Zulu was however quick to say that efforts are being made to put to a stop the trend.
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