Zimbabwe hosts over 17,000 refugees, 76 percent are from DRC – Minister
By Caleb Chikwawawa
At least 17,200 refugees are living in Zimbabwe officially with 76 percent of them from the strife-torn North and South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a government minister has revealed.
In a speech delivered on his behalf at a media briefing in Harare ahead of the 2025 World Refugee Day on 20 June, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Edgar Moyo said Zimbabwe remained compliant with International and domestic laws that call for protection of refugees.
“With a permissive environment that is currently prevailing, Zimbabwe is home to at least 17 200 people, mainly from DRC (76%), Mozambique (11%), Burundi (4%), Rwanda (3%) and other smaller nationalities constituting (6%),” Moyo said in a speech delivered through his deputy Mercy Dinha (pictured below).
“Significantly, much of the asylum influx in Zimbabwe is due to the down trail movement from the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa.”
The minister also said that the number of refugees fleeing into Zimbabwe is expected to rise as the security situation in affected parts of DRC remains tense.
“It is factual to argue that the entrenched civil unrest in North and South Kivu DRC has contributed much to the need for international protection of refugees who are resident in Zimbabwe.
“The national influx trend also projects continual increase in refugee population with an expected number of 18,000 refugee by December.”
Moyo said Zimbabwean laws permitted refugees with some professional qualifications to take up employment in the country and to seek accommodation out of Tongogara refugee settlement.
He further highlighted the efforts that his ministry was putting in place to promote refugees’ social protection which include assisting them to get civil documentation such as birth certificates, IDs and refugees passports.
“In terms of protection arrangements, Zimbabwe currently uses the settlement system as a policy position.
“This arrangement is in line with some reservations that were expressed when we ratified the 1951 Convention. However, some refugees who are professionals and business people are accorded authority to work and are residing out of Tongogara Refugee Settlement.
“In a bid to harness access to national social protection services by refugees in the country, my ministry has been promoting access to civil documentation that include Birth Certificates for children born in Zimbabwe, IDs for all refugees and Refugec Passport for educational and other reasons compelling international travel by refugees.
“May I also take this opportunity to share that my Government submitted six (6) pledges before the UN Global Refugee Forum in 2019, and renewed the pledges in 2023.
“The pledges mainly prioritise promotion of livelihood opportunities for refugees, strengthening access to civil documentation, access asylum rights, inclusion in sporting activities, access to education and review of national legislation to strengthen the protection of refugees in the country.
“I am pleased to share with you that the government has apportioned at least 175 hectares of irrigable plots to refugees at Tongogara Refugee Camp in its fulfilment of the submitted pledges, Tongogara FC is also playing in division 1 region and other self help projects are also being supported.
“In terms of the law, The Zimbabwe Refugees Act which was enacted in 1983 is currently being reviewed to ensure its compliance with the new global trends relating to international refugee protection,” said Dinha.
