The international community and the Zimbabwean government have told them they must leave the country before June 2013. Leon Ngengimana, a Rwandan refugee community representative who has been living in the country since 1998, said that the saddest day of his life would be leaving Zimbabwe.
“Zimbabwe has been my home for many years now and I have grown fond of the place. The Zimbabweans are very warm people by nature and I would have loved to live here forever, but we have been given up to June 2013 to leave,” he said.
Last year, Rwandan Minister of Disaster Preparedness and Refugee toured countries that are host to Rwandan Refugees, including Congo Brazzaville, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe to encourage the Rwandans to voluntarily return.
The Rwandan refugees in Zimbabwe are reportedly not willing to go home citing security concerns.
According to the UNHCR, there are about 70,000 Rwandan refugees in various countries, 528 of whom live at Tongogara refugee Camp in Zimbabwe.
Post published in: News