The ManicaPost
Cletus Mushanawani
News Editor
ZIMBABWE has managed to integrate more than 15 000 refugees from different political, religious and ethnic persuasions to co-exist at Tongogara Refugee Camp.
Tongogara Refugee Camp in Chipinge South is home to refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia, Mali, Ivory Coast, Mozambique and other countries.
The camp which now has a population of 15 134 refugees and asylum seekers is also experiencing a population expulsion due to inter-marriages among them.
About 50.2 percent of the Tongongara Refugee Camp population is made up of children.
In an interview with The Manica Post on the sidelines of a tour by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency directorate last week on Saturday, Tongogara Refugee Camp administrator, Mr Johanne Mhlanga said refugees are attracted to Zimbabwe by the peace prevailing in the country.
“We have so many refugees that came from many countries as they ran away from various conflicts in their places of origins. Political, religious and ethnic conflicts are some of the reasons why refugees fled from their countries and opted to settle here.
“The refugees here are enjoying Zimbabwe’s hospitality because of the peace and tranquillity prevailing in the country. Zimbabwe is doing everything possible to ensure the safety of refugees in line with a number of convections the country is a signatory to,” he said.
Mr Mhlanga added: “Once refugees come here, we tell them that they are no Hutus or Tutsis, Congolese or Mozambicans. We tell them they should co-exist. We always engage them, preaching the peace gospel. We have not had any clashes here.”
He said in 2019, Government made seven pledges at the global refugees forum for the advancement of the inclusionary agenda towards refugees protection.
“The issue of refugees is no longer a humanitarian programme alone, but also a developmental one where Government has to ensure the self reliance of the refugees.
“We welcome the counting of refugees during the 2022 census, a first of its kind in the country, and this shows that Government is committed to include refugees in all economic programmes.
“This will also help in coming up with informed polices based on the actual statistics that will come from the census exercise. We want to ensure that refugees are included in national, provincial and district development plans. “This is the beginning of a long journey in our aims and objectives of ensuring that refugees contribute immensely to the country’s Gross Domestic Product through various economic activities,” he said.
Mr Mhlanga said due to the high birth rate at the camp, schools are now a major challenge.
“We have 15 134 refugees and asylum seekers from different countries. There is a population explosion at the camp, 50. 2 percent of the population here are children who need to go to school.
“At Tongogara Primary School, we have an enrolment of more than 2 700 pupils but we do not have adequate classrooms and stationery.
“At St Michael’s Secondary School where other pupils are being enrolled, some are learning under trees and the school needs to be upgraded and awarded A-Level status,” he said.
Mr Mhlanga also bemoaned lack of accommodation at the camp.
“Some families are still staying in tents and it is our wish to ensure that everyone is comfortable,” he said.
On the impact of Covid-19 among the refugees, Mr Mhlanga said: “We are getting worried with the increase in Covid-19 infection cases. We are fighting three pandemics here – the Covid-19 itself, misinformation and misconception pandemics by the refugees.
“At one point individuals were saying that blacks could not be affected by Covid-19 and that high temperatures made infection unlikely. So we ended up having three problems to deal with.
“However, we have been able to demystify some of these misconceptions to an extent of convincing individuals to follow the World Health Organisation (WHO) protocols as well as policies and regulations enunciated by the Government of Zimbabwe.
“Refugees are now being vaccinated. There is now attitude and behaviour change with many refugees embracing this vaccination programme,” he said.
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