Afro-centric jazz musician, Peter Mawanga, has recently released a song titled "Nkhani," which sheds light on the plight of refugees in Malawi. 

The song features collaborations with Clyde C Chisale and Mitengeli, and also includes a poem by Robert Chiwamba. 

Through this song, Mawanga aims to raise awareness about the struggles faced by refugees who are forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in foreign lands.

“Mwati ndineneko zonse ndiwulule…

Ali dere nkulinga utayenda naye….

Inu mudzadziwa bwanji ndi ulule….

Ndiri ndi nkhani, ndifuna ndikambeko, 

Will you hear me out..

Mwanditseka pakamba ndilankhula bwanji

Mwandiponya kuseri kwa mudzi anthu adziwa bwanji..

Mwandibisa kuseri kwa phiri anthu andiona bwa..

Mwandikhomera kuchipinda

Lero ndine mpongozi wanu koma azanu sadziwa bwa…”

The song emphasizes the mistreatment of refugees in some host countries, stressing the importance of fair treatment and integration into the community. Many refugees have established roots in their host country, having been born, married, or otherwise become a part of society. It is crucial that they are not ostracized or discriminated against but rather welcomed and treated with dignity and respect.

In recent news, there have been reports about refugees in Malawi. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Malawi hosts over 44,000 refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, and Somalia. The majority of these refugees are hosted in Dzaleka Refugee Camp, which was established in 1994.

In March 2021, the Malawian government announced that it would begin to relocate refugees from Dzaleka Refugee Camp to Luwani Refugee Camp in the Neno District. The government cited congestion and lack of resources as the main reasons for the relocation. However, this decision was met with criticism from human rights groups who argued that the move would disrupt the education and livelihoods of refugees who had already settled in Dzaleka.

Recently, Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng'oma said in a March 28 2023 statement that all refugees and asylum seekers residing in rural and urban areas should relocate to Dzaleka camp between April 1 and 15 this year.

Malawi is a country in southeastern Africa that has been grappling with a refugee crisis for several years. The country has been hosting refugees from neighboring countries such as Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) due to political instability, violence, and economic hardships in those regions. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as of October 2021, there were over 44,000 refugees and asylum seekers registered in Malawi.

Mawanga’s song therefore adds a voice to this otherwise contentious issue.