Ministry of Homeland Security Principal Secretary Oliver Kumbambe yesterday encouraged refugees whose countries have attained peace to return home.

Speaking when he appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism, he said some refugees are voluntarily relocating to Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa District after government asked them to do so. However, those whose countries have attained peace are encouraged to go back home, he said.

Kumbambe said government had set November 30 2022 deadline for the refugees living in rural areas to relocate to Dzaleka and February 2 2023 for those living in urban areas.

Kumbambe: Some can return home

He said: “To be a refugee is not a permanent status so at some point the refugees have to go back where they came from because the situation they fled from may not always be there anymore.”

The PS said only 305 refugees have, so far, voluntarily signed for repatriation.

Dzaleka Refugee Camp has a capacity of 10 000 people, but a verification exercise which finished on January 20 2023 established that there are 49 606 refugees and asylum seekers at the camp, the committee learnt.

The committee’s  chairperson Simplex Chithyola Banda called on government to resolve the issue of space at Dzaleka.

He said: “There is need to look into issue of resources to properly manage the refugees. There is also the need to be cautious in handling the situation to avoid complicating it”

On Monday, Small-scale Business Operators Association warned that they will forcibly relocate the refugees and asylum seekers if government does not act on concerns that their operations in townships and urban centres was affecting their businesses.

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