The Plight of Stateless People in Zimbabwe
Published: 13/Nov/2016
Source: The Standard (Harare)
By Veneranda Langa
FIDEL Mabereza froths at the mouth as he recounts how he ended up at Tongogara Refugee camp in Chipinge after fleeing the civil unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
His eyes are blood-shot and clearly need medical attention, which he said was difficult to get as he is a refugee without a job, documents or money.
“I came to Zimbabwe in July 2012 after walking several months from the DRC, and then to Zambia and finally to this country,” the 25-year-old Mabereza said in broken English.
“Rebel soldiers had invaded our village in Kavu. I was in the village at that time because the university that I was attending at Katogota was on a semester break.
“They beat up people, raped women and even committed murders and forced the boys to join them.
“I ran away and came to Zimbabwe through Zambia to live with several other refugees at Tongogara Refugee Camp.”
Mabereza said since 2012 when he started living at the refugee camp, his family had endured unsavoury living conditions as they were considered stateless because they cannot be granted Zimbabwean citizenship, nor can they go back to the DRC.