Paramount Kyungu rejects relocation of refugee camp to Karonga

As government through Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security announced last year its plan of relocating Dzaleka Refugee Camp from Dowa to Katili area in Karonga after consulting chiefs Paramount chief Kyungu has now rejected the decision claiming that his area is not enough to accommodate the initiative.

Speaking in the district during the sensitization workshop on the formulation of national peace commission which was organized by government yesterday paramount chief Kyungu asked the officials from office of president and cabinet who were present at the function to inform the president to select another district which is larger than Karonga.

“Government would have chosen Mzimba district because it is the biggest in the northern region,” said Kyungu.

He said the relocation of the refugee camp to Karonga will result into introduction of criminal groups in his area.

Paramount Kyungu said he had only admitted to relocate to remote areas the refugee transit shelter which is located around the town in the district and not Dzaleka camp as government is saying.

The chief also said that “the claimed identified place was proposed to construct a college during the former DPP regime therefore it cannot be used as a refugee camp.”

In their remarks representatives of office of president and cabinet assured paramount chief Kyungu that they will report the matter to Professor Peter Mutharika but asked the chief to reverse his decision saying government plan was made following international standards of constructing the refugee camp which stipulate that the camp must be not less than 65 kilometres from the boarder which Karonga qualifies.