On Monday, April 22, thirty Malawians were taken into police custody in Mbare, Harare, purportedly for not having the proper paperwork to prove their rightful residency in the nation.
The individuals were taken to the Harare Central police station for more investigation, as reported by The Herald.
Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, a spokesman for the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), confirmed the arrests and said that thirty foreign people were apprehended as a result of the operation in Mbare. He said that all the incident’s information would be made public today.
A spike in illegal Malawian nationals entering Zimbabwe since January 2024 was reported in reports from last month.
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The chief director of the Department of Immigration, Respect Gono, told the Zimbabwe Independent that many of these migrants entered the country pretending to be looking for work on farms. Gono emphasised the value of preserving cordial bilateral ties within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and noted that the authorities work with the Malawian embassy to identify and repatriate these people.
The ambassador of Malawi to Zimbabwe, Mwayiwawo Polepole, emphasised the historical diplomatic relations between Lilongwe and Harare. He conveyed his appreciation to the Zimbabwean authorities for enabling the repatriation procedure, which involves providing buses to return individuals to Malawi. According to Polepole, the embassy also carries out self-repatriation actions after receiving authorization from immigration authorities.
With so many foreigners travelling through Zimbabwe, it continues to be an important stopover for African immigrants headed for South Africa.
