By A Correspondent- The government has announced the arrest of 146 foreign nationals for allegedly violating immigration laws in the first quarter of 2025.
The arrests, revealed by Immigration Department chief director Ms Respect Gono, mark a sharp rise from the 122 detained in the same period last year.
Those arrested include nationals from Malawi (37), Ethiopia (24), China (21), the Democratic Republic of Congo (19), and smaller numbers from Mozambique, Zambia, and elsewhere.
The intensification of border control measures and deportation threats bears an uncanny resemblance to South Africa’s increasingly xenophobic immigration policies, where migrants—particularly from other African nations—have become scapegoats for internal socio-economic failures.
For Zimbabwe, this marks a dramatic departure from the inclusive, Pan-African values once championed by former President Robert Mugabe, who positioned Zimbabwe as a home for all Africans fleeing imperialism, colonial legacy, or political instability.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government has tried to frame the crackdown as part of a broader strategy to regulate migration and attract legitimate investors.
Ms Gono credited what she termed “policy reforms” and “increased openness” for the rise in both arrests and investor interest.
“Modern societies are a result of well-harnessed migration opportunities,” she said. “Our vision for an upper-middle-income economy by 2030 is within reach, thanks in part to our strong migration governance systems.”
Paradoxically, while arrests surged, deportations have declined. Only 239 prohibited immigrants were deported in the first quarter of 2025, compared to 385 during the same period in 2024. Ms Gono attributed this to improved screening and early interventions.
Despite the government’s hardline approach to irregular migration, Ms Gono maintained that Zimbabwe remains a top destination for both migrants and investors. She cited a 17% increase in traveller movement, with over 2 million entries and exits recorded in Q1 2025, up from 1.79 million in the same period the previous year.
Investor confidence, she said, was on the rise, noting that investor residence permits rose from 333 in Q1 2024 to 454 in Q1 2025. However, Temporary Employment Permits (TEPs) dipped slightly from 2,629 to 2,249.
Still, the government’s “Comply or Leave” campaign has raised eyebrows. Ms Gono revealed that 65 joint operations targeting irregular migration were conducted in the first quarter—more than double the number from last year.
While she insisted the campaign aimed to uphold “safe, regular and orderly migration,” observers argue it echoes the exclusionary undertones seen in South Africa’s Operation Dudula and similar campaigns.
Political analysts say Mnangagwa’s embrace of anti-foreigner rhetoric could be a calculated political tactic.
With economic recovery still elusive and domestic discontent growing, the government may be turning to migrants as convenient scapegoats to deflect attention from its own governance failures.
The move is especially jarring in the historical context of Zimbabwe’s post-independence identity, which under Mugabe was anchored in African solidarity.
During the liberation war and its aftermath, Zimbabwe provided sanctuary to freedom fighters and political refugees from across the continent.
That legacy, critics argue, is now being eroded under Mnangagwa’s administration.