The Government has said Mwange Refugee Camp in Mporokoso and Kala in Kawambwa will this year be closed and warned that none of the refugees from the two camps will meet the immigration requirement for them to continue staying in Zambia.
As such, the Government has said Congolese refugees at the two camps should take advantage of the voluntary repatriation and return to their country to help rebuild that country’s economy.
Speaking in Mwange yesterday when she addressed refugees on the need to return to their country, Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Ndiyoyi Mutiti said once the status of refugees ceased, none would be able to meet the immigration laws of Zambia.
“Mwange and Kala will be closed by the end of the year and you have to take advantage of the voluntary repatriation and return to your country. The reasons why you left your country are known but now there is peace in Congo. We have been there before and we know what we are talking about. Once the refugees status has ceased, you will not be able to meet the immigration criteria,” Ms Mutiti said.
She warned that the Government would not be complacent but ensure that the immigration laws were equitably applied on the Congolese.
She explained that there was no way the refugees could continue to claim that Democratic Republic of Congo was no longer peaceful when all the stakeholders were aware that the war was over.
Ms Mutiti said the UNHCR and other stakeholders would ensure that the refugees were assisted to start new lives in the DRC and therefore saw no logic in them resisting to be repatriated.
[Times of Zambia]
Tell us what are you going to do with those infrastructures before they go to waste ;; let the people of the given places benefit form them, eg schools the clinics and so on and improve them more for those people living there
I think Mwange and Kala are their homes now, how do they just get up and leave without difficulties. Anyway, good to see Ndioyi there… you look good my sister!**==
I really think its unfair to say voluntary repatriation yet its a forced repatriation. Since its like they don not have a choice but to go back to their home country. I think what the government should do it to allow then to have Zambian citizenship. If one has been in Zambia for more than 10 years they can apply for citizenship. let that law apply to them too. Its really hard to just go back to their home country just like that. Things have changed and they too have changed adopted Zambian cultures etc. It will be difficult for them to adjust and start a new life.Look at what the western countries do they give refugees permanent residency and then citizenship. Why cant Zambia do the same…?