The government of Malawi has
revoked the citizenship of 230 Rwandan nationals, alongside other individuals,
bringing the total to 396, due to concerns over suspicious acquisition of
naturalization papers.
The announcement was made by
Malawi's Minister of Homeland Security, Kenneth Zikhale Ng'oma, this week.
Confidential sources within
the government revealed that the group of 396 individuals comprises 230
Rwandans, 101 Burundians, and 65 individuals from the Democratic Republic of
Congo.
Additionally, it has been
disclosed that another list of approximately 1,000 individuals, currently
identified as asylum seekers in Malawi, may also have their citizenship
revoked.
This decision follows the
Malawian government's ongoing investigation into Fulgence Kayishema, an alleged
participant in the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi, who managed to acquire a Malawi
passport under a false identity between 2017 and 2018, using the name Positani
Chikuse.
The revocation of citizenship
aligns with the country's legal framework and is aimed at maintaining public
order and security, in accordance with the court ruling in the case of the
Republic vs Uladi Mussa and others (Criminal Case Number 2 of 2017), as
emphasized by Minister Ng'oma.Camp hosting some Rwandans who fled their home country in different years.
Patrick Botha, the Ministry's
Public Relations Officer, revealed that law enforcement agencies will
collaborate to ensure the prompt deportation of the affected individuals, in adherence
to the law. Minister Ng'oma's leadership intends to review and nullify Malawian
citizenship for individuals who failed to follow the prescribed legal
procedures for obtaining citizenship.
The specific details regarding
how these individuals acquired their citizenship remain undisclosed, as well as
the potential consequences they will face following the revocation. However,
this action underscores Malawi's commitment to granting citizenship exclusively
to those who meet the required criteria, as reported by local media.
Meanwhile, the government of
Malawi, supported by its security agencies, is actively locating and detaining
refugees and asylum seekers lacking proper authorization to reside in the
country. Presently, Malawi hosts approximately 53,000 refugees and asylum
seekers, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
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