The Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services is set to repatriate 238 irregular immigrants who were in the Northern Region Prisons.

The irregular Immigrants entered into the country illegally hence contravening Section 21(1) of the Malawi Immigration Act.

According the Northern Region Immigrations Public Relations Officer, Sergeant (Sgt) Francis Chitambuli most of the immigrants entered the country using unchatered routes triggering their arrests, prosecution and conviction henceforth repatriation to Ethiopia.

Chitambuli further disclosed that the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has funded the repatriation process.

“Officers from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services in collaboratin with I.O.M officals conducted a verification exercise of the irregular immigrants at Mzimba and Mzuzu Prisons respectively in May 2024 which was later followed by process of issuing traveling documents back to Ethiopia,” said Sgt Chitambuli

The North Immigration Publicist further narrated that the Ethiopians were subjected to have a Visa that legalises their entry into Malawi, a development most of them tend not to comply with.

Since January this year, the Northern Region Immigration Office has arrested 173 Foreigners for contravening Immigration Laws, from which 142 are Ethiopians.