By Chisomo Phiri
Minister of Homeland Security Kenneth Zikhale Ng’oma has expressed his commitment in fighting illegal immigrants in the country.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lilongwe on Wednesday, where police and immigration officers arrested an Ethiopian citizen Ahmed Muhamed Kondo and his wife Demorah, who were keeping 31 Ethiopian nationals in the high-walled cell with barbed wire, Zikhale Ng’oma said the apprehending of the two is a significance of the commitment by his ministry and the Chakwera-led administration in whole towards ending the human trafficking syndicates.
The minister indicated that illegal immigrants from countries like Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC) , Ethiopia, and Brundi use Malawi as a corridor for trafficking business into other countries including European nations.
“Malawi has been on records that men use Malawi as a route for human trafficking to other countries like South Africa, America, and some other places, and this current government has taken a step ahead in making sure that the malpractice is stopped, hence the apprehending Mohammed, Ethiopian national,” he said.
Ng’oma further said Kondo and his wife were once deported in 2022 for being involved in trafficking business only to be found back into the country through uncharted routes, adding that Dzaleka Refugee Camp is being faced by many challenges among which have prompted the government to consider relocating the Camp to Chitipa.
The Minister since then warned those who are being involved in human trafficking syndicates jn in country that the law will take its course once caught.
He further urged the citizenry and relevant stakeholders to join forces in fighting the vice.
The current statistics indicate that over 300 Ethiopians are in police custody for illegal entry in the country.
Located in Dowa, Dzaleka Refugee Camp is only 42 kilometers away from the Capital Lilongwe and is currently having over 52,000 refugees although it was initially designed for less than 12,000 refugees.
