Immigration authorities in Zimbabwe have sent back 27 Malawian nationals for violating Zimbabwe’s immigration laws.
Confirming the development was Mwanza border public relations officer Inspector Pasqually Zulu who said the deportees arrived in the country on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 through the Mwanza border post.
Inspector Zulu said the group comprising of 24 men and three women were arrested in Harare whilst in transit to South Africa despite border closures in the wake of Covid-19 global health crisis.
After being interrogated by authorities upon arrival at the border, the group indicated that they left Malawi six months ago using uncharted routes between Dedza and Ntcheu and further indicated that they all had no any traveling documents.
Zulu said this is a worrisome development claiming that the immigration department is working so tirelessly to making sure that immigration services are accessed by all so as to minimize such cases but to no avail.
“No proper documentation and use of uncharted routes by Malawian nationals remain a biggest challenge to the department of Immigration and Citizenship Services. This is despite the department’s efforts in bringing its services closer to people,” said Zulu.
The publicist further said as part of precautions not to import and spread Covid-19 into the country, healthy protocols were carried out, and the group underwent border checks and documents verification before being released to their respective districts.
The trip to Malawi was fully sponsored by International Organisation for Migration (I.O.M) and it is reported that among the deportees, Mangochi, Balaka and Machinga districts dominate.
