back to top

Malawi Government repatriates 32 more Burundians

Published on:

Share post:

More refugees are expressing interest to return to their respective countries

The Malawi Government on Monday repatriated 32 Burundians who had volunteered to go back to their country following the return of peace in that country.

This is the fifth convoy and it brings the total number of refugees who have voluntarily returned to their respective countries to 309.

The 32 Burundians were escorted to the Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) by senior officials from the Department of Refugees in the Ministry of Homeland Security.

Speaking in Chichewa garnished with loose parables, a representative of the returnees, Erson Ndagijimana, said he was excited to go back to his country.

Ndagijimana: I am very grateful to Malawi Government and UNHCR for the repatriation

“Kuno ku Malawi ndinabwera mu January 2019 ndipo ndaphunzira zinthu ziwiri olo zitatu. Ndaphunzira kulima, kuchita bizinesi ndi zina. Ndikapita kwathu, ndikaptiriza kugwira ntchito ya ulimi komanso bizinesi [I came to Malawi in January 2019 and I have learnt a number of trades during my stay here. Among them, I have learnt farming, business management and others. I will continue doing farming and business when I get back to my country,” he said.

Burundians checking in at the Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe on their way to native country–Photo courtesy of Arsene Boji Lumiere

Ndagijimana urged other Burundians to consider returning to their country, arguing that now that peace has returned to Burundi, there was no reason why his fellow kinsmen should continue living at Dzaleka Refugee Camp.

The Senior Administrative and Operations Manager, Hilda Katema-Kausiwa, disclosed that since the department started the repatriation exercise, more refugees have been expressing interest to return to their countries.

Katema-Kausiwa said the department will continue working in collaboration with other partners, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in providing safe repatriation to refugees who volunteer to return.


Discover more from Nthanda Times

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Related articles

Matola calls for energy diversification to meet growing demand

Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola has emphasized the importance for the energy sector to be diversified both in sources and places if the country is to have sustainable development.

NICE, religious leaders preach against politicization of MW2063

National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Public Trust and religious leaders in Balaka have decried the tendency by politicians to politicize national development programmes, stressing this suffocates efforts and energies invested to achieve them.

Malawi’s economy in shambles, devaluation not a solution

UTM President Dr. Dalitso Kabambe has described the country’s economy as in shambles and off track adding the...

MANAD holds first ever Spelling Bee Competition for deaf learners

Malawi National Association for the Deaf (MANAD) on July 21, 2023, successfully conducted the first ever National Spelling Bee Competition targeting learners with hearing impairments.

Discover more from Nthanda Times

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading