The Defence and Security Committee of Parliament has asked the government to fast-track the registration process for people from Mozambique who are fleeing the country due to political unrest.
As of last week, over 13,000 Mozambicans had crossed the border into Nsanje, escaping protests which escalated after that country’s Constitutional Council confirmed the victory of ruling Frelimo presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo, in the national elections held on October 9.
Speaking in an interview, the committee’s chairperson, Salim Bagus, said that some of the Mozambicans entering the country may be soldiers and that their arrival could pose a threat to Malawi’s security.
Bagus said the committee would soon engage with the Ministry of Homeland Security to ascertain the progress of the registration process.
“We have bordering districts such as Dedza, Mangochi, Chikwawa, Nsanje and Machinga, where refugees from Mozambique are arriving and more may continue to come.
“As a country, we must be on alert because some of them could be carrying dangerous weapons. Although these are our brothers and sisters, we must keep a record of foreigners entering and I am sure we will address this with the ministry,” Bagus said.
Officials from the Ministry of Homeland Security have yet to respond to our questionnaire.
However, security expert Sherif Kayisi said that the government should take the concerns seriously, as they could help in resource mobilisation and strengthening security.
“In the 1980s and 1990s, a similar situation occurred and many refugees from Mozambique were welcomed.
“However, these were also the years during which Malawi began experiencing serious burglaries and robberies involving dangerous weapons, such as guns, which were suspected to have been brought by the same people,” Kayisi said.
Meanwhile, a local organisation, the Nyika Institute, has urged both the government of Mozambique and opposition leaders to prioritise dialogue.
In a statement signed by the institute’s executive director, Moses Mkandawire, it is being suggested that the Southern African Development Community should intervene swiftly to address the political instability.
By last week, around 21 people, including two police officers, had been killed during the protests.
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