Britain is deporting around 50 Zimbabwean nationals who have been released from detention after having served jail terms for various offences.
Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ministry’s acting spokesperson Mr Livit Mugejo confirmed the development saying these individuals are classified as Foreign National Offenders. He said:
Any country in the world has a right to deport any foreigner from its country. The advent of Covid-19 had slowed down involuntary repatriations.
There is nothing unique in the deportations, as South Africa last week deported 220 Zimbabwean citizens, including some who were released from jails.
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In the case of voluntary returns, he said the UK Government is offering support through various programmes for reintegration back into the community in co-operation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Mr Mugejo added:
This category of deportees from UK is different from voluntary returnees, who are our citizens who opt to come back home on their own. These are involuntary returnees who have utilised the administrative and legal procedures and have lost the legal right to remain in that country.
The UK deportees are scheduled to arrive in Zimbabwe on Thursday.
Only recently, hundreds of Zimbabweans were deported from South Africa and Botswana.
Zimbabweans in the diaspora have for two decades been breadwinners for many families and the nation has also benefitted through remittances.
More: Pindula News; The Herald