Zimbabwean deportees return from the United States

A group of Zimbabwean nationals arrived at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare on a chartered flight from the United States following deportation by Washington. The plane also transported Ghanaian and Zambian deportees and was set to drop off Mozambicans on its onward journey.

The returnees, many of whom had served prison sentences in the US before being declared undesirable, appeared visibly frustrated as they faced reintegration into Zimbabwean society. Many arrived with only the clothes on their backs.

One deportee, Tendai Moyosvi, a trained chef, told the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) that he plans to start a business after serving a decade behind bars in the US. Others expressed intentions to take up farming upon their return.

Some returnees face challenges reconnecting with their roots. A man identified only as Mabugu, who left Zimbabwe at age nine, said he no longer remembers his family and has lost comprehension of his mother tongue, Shona. "I cannot speak Shona anymore… I grew up in the United States, in Pennsylvania," he told ZBC.

Officials from the Ministry of Social Welfare were present at the airport, assisting with contacting relatives and facilitating reintegration.

This latest group adds to a trend of deportations from the US and UK, with hundreds of Zimbabweans previously targeted due to immigration violations or criminal records. In 2023, more than 500 Zimbabweans were reportedly earmarked for removal from the US, though returnees have arrived in smaller phased groups.

The arrivals underscore the ongoing challenges of supporting deportees, particularly those who have spent most of their lives abroad, as they adjust to life back in Zimbabwe.