108 Refugees to be repatriated to Bujumbura, Burundi

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Homeland Security Patrick Botha says 108 Burundian nationals are expected to be repatriated to Bujumbura on 5TH October 2023.
Earlier, authorities scheduled 15th September 2023, as the day for initial departure, but this was postponed due to logistical challenges that the United High Commission of Refugees encountered.
Speaking to Yetu FM, Patrick Botha who is the spokesperson in the Ministry of Homeland Security, said voluntary repatriation remains one of the durable solutions when it comes to refugees’ management.
“Some refugees are making decisions on their own to go back since situations that led to their fleeing from their home countries have now changed,” Botha explained.
He added that the ministry expects more refugees to come out and ask for consideration in the voluntary repatriation.
According to Botha voluntary repatriation is an ongoing exercise. The government of Malawi is currently carrying out an exercise of relocating refugees living in the urban and rural areas of the country back to Dzaleka Refugee Camp where more than 2000 refugees have returned.
As part of the exercise, the government also introduced voluntary repatriation, where the first cohort consisting of 38 refugees returned to Burundi through the Kamuzu International Airport.