Foreign prisoners seek deportation

Foreign prisoners who are detained at Harare Remand Prison have called on immigration authorities to expedite their deportations as they have no relatives in Zimbabwe to finance their travel back to their respective countries.

A number of inmates from Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania are detained for contravening the Immigration Act after staying in Zimbabwe without proper documentation.

Some of them complained that they have stayed in remand prison for almost two years without being deported to their home countries.

The remand prisoners say they have no means of communicating with their relatives to find assistance to return to their respective countries.  

Some alleged they came into the country as refugees but were surprised to be treated as illegal immigrants.

Commissioner of Prisons Retired Major General Paradzai Zimondi confirmed the problem saying the institution is not responsible for the funding of the deportations of illegal immigrants. He said the issue lies with the immigration department.

Contacted for comment, Assistant Regional Immigration Officer Francis Mabika said the department is facing financial challenges to facilitate the deportation of the foreigners.