UK to deport at least 2,500 ‘illegal’ Zimbabweans – report

Britain has reportedly announced its intention to deport at least 2 500 Zimbabweans living illegally in that country.

According to New Zimbabwe.com, British ambassador to Zimbabwe, Catriona Lang, recently told Zimbabwean Deputy President Kembo Mohadi that her government intended to deport illegal Zimbabweans in that country.


The announcement came as Theresa May said that her government was “determined to reduce the number of immigrants coming into the country by thousands”.

In his response, Mohadi said that the southern African country had no problem taking back its nationals but it needed to check them to ensure they were truly Zimbabweans.

“… We said we want to vet them before they leave the UK. We want to know whether or not they are Zimbabweans or if they are not fugitives who had run away from justice,” Mohadi was quoted as saying.

Britain was Zimbabwe’s former colonial ruler.

Around 20 000 British citizens lived in Zimbabwe while at least 112 000 Zimbabweans lived in Britain, according to an AFP report.

Britain provided around $114m in aid to Zimbabwe every year.

Relations between the two countries went rocky under ex-president Robert Mugabe, particularly over the controversial land reform programme.