Malawi has started repatriating Mozambican asylum seekers who fled their homeland due to civil unrest after the disputed elections recently.
The department of the Development for Refugees in the ministry of homeland and security said the asylum seekers are being repatriated through Nyamithuthu dock in Nsanje district.
Senior Administrative and Operations Manager, Hilda Katema Kausiwa told The Atlas Malawi that the first group of the asylum seekers departed on Saturday, March 1 2025.
According to the operations manager, the repatriation exercise has begun at slow pace but hoped that it is going to speed-up so that those willing to go back to Mozambique should return.
“Those remaining will be taken to Dzeleka Refugees Camp in Dowa district for further screening,” said Kausiwa.
She however disclosed that the department of refugees has no enough resources to host refugees in camps.
Kausiwa said over 2,500 people registered for the voluntary repatriation from Nyamithuthu Settlement Camp.
“We have started with Mozambique asylum seekers in Nsanje after which we will switch to other districts that are also hosting asylum seekers,” she said.
As on February 17 2025, Nsanje district had recorded 3,984 households representing 7,904 of the asylum seekers that fled Mozambique due to unrest orchestrated by last year’s disputed elections.
