Immigration department repatriates more ethiopians

Malawi: This week, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, with assistance from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), will repatriate 344 Ethiopian nationals.

Pasqually Zulu, the national spokesperson for Immigration, told AfricaBrief that the Ethiopian nationals who will be repatriated are only those held in various prison facilities under Immigration custody.

"The excise, which will be done in two phases, will help decongest our country's prisons in the face of food shortages, Covid-19, and cholera outbreaks," he said.

The excise begins on November 2nd, with 156 Ethiopian nationals being repatriated via chartered plane via Kamuzu International Airport.

The second phase will be completed on November 4th, comprising 188 Ethiopians.

Despite the Immigration Department's tireless efforts, illegal entry of irregular migrants, particularly from the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa, who use Malawi as a transit route, remains a challenge.