No decision made yet on fate of 26 Congolese

Mr Mabika said the investigations were meant to confirm whether the 26 illegal immigrants were truly from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“Any course of action will be determined by the outcome of the investigations,” he said.
The refugees reportedly arrived in Bulawayo on Friday last week and spent three days and three nights at Amakhosi Cultural Centre. A vehicle from Victoria Falls reportedly dropped them there after picking them from the resort town.

They had crossed the Zambezi River from Zambia through an undesignated point.
They are being accommodated at the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Zimbabwe (AMECZ) in Makokoba.
Mr Mabika said depending on the preliminary investigations, the Government might decide to take the refugees into its custody for security reasons.

“That (the church) might not be a conducive place for the investigations, we might take them into our custody for investigations by the department and the police who are definitely part of the process. The other stakeholders will decide if it is safe for them to continue staying at the church.

“I cannot give a timeframe because we are still in the process of informing stakeholders and we will both make the decision,” said Mr Mabika.

Although the future of the Congolese still hangs in the balance, it was all smiles for them at the church yesterday as Makokoba residents and churches continued to trickle in to give them provisions.
The residents are spending time with them while taking turns to cook for them.

A delegation from the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), comprising AMECZ resident minister Reverend Amon Mthombeni, acting AMECZ Bishop Reverend Eustice Ginya, chairman of ZCC Regional Committee Bishop Cleopas Sibanda and ZCC Regional Coordinator Mrs Eunah Ndlovu among others, visited the group yesterday morning and donated blankets and clothes.

Representatives from Christian Care came to the church to assess the situation.
Addressing the group, Bishop Sibanda promised them that the church would continue with assistance. “We are not here to see visitors but our kith and kin because we are all Africans. As Zimbabwe, we love you all. We are with you in your problems and would do what we can to make you comfortable,” he said.

“We are going to engage responsible authorities so that in as much as we assist you, you legally settle well.”
Mrs Ndlovu said they convened as churches to decide on how they could assist the “refugees” pending a decision by the Government.

“We are providing what we can at the moment. Different authorities have visited them here and we appreciate the support that is coming through from the people of Makokoba and churches around.

“Our wish is to have them sleep at a proper place and have decent meals and wish people would continue donating. Church leaders offered some premises so that they can sleep separately,” said Mrs Ndlovu.

“We do not know where they would end legally and our concern is that they are taken care of now. Whatever decision will come from the Government we will go by it.”