The ManicaPost
Senior Reporter
THE number of registered refugees in Zimbabwe has reached 10 860, with 8 982 of them at Tongogara Refugee Camp, prompting Government to mobilise resources to fund the rehabilitation of houses and infrastructure at Tongogara Refugees Camp, Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has said.
The state of houses and infrastructure at Tongogara Refugee Camp was worsened by the heavy rains that were received during the 2016/17 season. Cde Mnangagwa said this while addressing attendees at the belated World Refugees’ Day commemorations held at Tongogara Refugee Camp on Wednesday.
“The number of registered refugees and asylum seekers has reached 10 860 in the country, with 8 982 of them staying at Tongogara Refugee Camp and the remainder in other cities and towns. I am aware that some refugees lost their houses due to the excessive rains which occurred during the 2016/17 rain season. As a result, residents in this camp are prone to dangers posed by wildlife, mosquitoes and frost bite, among others.
“This tragedy did not only happen here, but also in other parts of the country where infrastructure such as bridges, roads, clinics, schools and houses was destroyed. “The rehabilitation of the infrastructure is ongoing and Government is working hard to mobilise resources to this end,” said the Vice-President.
The number of registered refugees and asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of Congo amount to 74 percent of the total refugee population, while nine percent are Mozambicans, seven percent Rwandese, seven percent Burundians and the remaining three percent being Ethiopians, Eritreans, Malian, Ugandans, Somalis and other nationalities.
Cde Mnangagwa said Government was appealing for support to meet the needs of increasing number of refugees from Mozambique as the wave of political instability in the neighbouring country persists.
“The Government of Zimbabwe together with UNHCR launched an Inter-Agency Appeal in an effort to mobilise resources to assist the newly arrived Mozambicans who are in dire need of shelter and children’s educational support. I thus exhort our corporate world and other stakeholders to positively heed our appeal in cash and kind to support the refugee programmes in Zimbabwe.
“I challenge the farming community, some of whom are celebrating a bumper harvest from the efforts of Command Agriculture and the Presidential Inputs Scheme to come forward and donate to the food requirements of refugees and other vulnerable communities,” he said. The World Refugees’ Day is commemorated worldwide on June 20 every year.
Cde Mnangagwa reaffirmed Government’s commitment to improving the welfare of refugees. “As a Government, we are concerned with the welfare of refugees. We have shown our wholesome commitment to stand with refugees by becoming a state party to the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees and the 1969 Africa Union convention covering specific refugee problems in Africa. These two conventions have been domesticated under the Refugees Act, Chapter 4.03, a piece of law that has helped to create an enabling environment for the protection of asylum seekers and refugees in Zimbabwe.
“In this regard plans are underway to avail more land for agriculture to Tongogara Refugees Camp hence refugees will not only enhance their self reliance but also have the opportunity to contribute to economic objectives set out in the Zimbabwean Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZIMASET) through engaging in horticultural production, poultry and piggery projects among others,” he said.
Speaking during the same occasion, Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Cde Prisca Mupfumira, also emphasized Government’s commitment to accommodate and help refugees. Cde Mupfumira, together with the Vice-President, presented a donation of 60 tonnes of maize-meal, the same quantity of rice, 3.5 tonnes of dried fish, 1.5 tonnes of sugar beans and five beasts.
The theme for this year’s World Refugees’ Day is: ‘We stand with refugees’
