Dzaleka (Malawi) : a young Congolese refugee missing after alleged abduction

SOS Médias Burundi

Dowa, July 23, 2026 – A young Congolese refugee has been missing since Thursday morning in the Dzaleka camp in Malawi. His family says he was abducted by unidentified individuals while going about his daily activities. They are calling on the police to do everything possible to find him alive.

Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the young man lived in the New Katuza area, one of the most populated parts of the Dzaleka camp.

According to witnesses, he was walking around 5:00 a.m. local time when a car stopped near him, not far from the camp’s central parking lot, which connects to downtown Dowa district and the capital, Lilongwe. Individuals inside allegedly forced him into the vehicle before disappearing.

“He was near the camp’s central parking lot when a car stopped in front of him. Individuals inside forced him into the vehicle before disappearing,” a relative testified.

Alerted, his family immediately went to the camp’s police station to report his disappearance and request assistance. The police say they have opened an investigation to try to find the young refugee.

But his relatives say they fear for his life. “He is not the first to suffer the same fate. Some have been found dead, others have been found in prisons far from Dowa district.” “We are asking the police to do everything possible, even though hope is slim,” a family member said.

The victim occasionally conducted business in the camp.

Growing insecurity denounced

Refugees in Dzaleka are denouncing a rise in insecurity in the camp, which is particularly affecting young people and small traders, especially those from the DRC, Burundi, and Ethiopia.

Some residents suspect the complicity of certain security agents in what they describe as an organized bandit network. These accusations have not been confirmed by the authorities.

Located in the Dowa district, the Dzaleka camp hosts more than 50,000 refugees, including more than 11,000 Burundians. Established in 1994, it has become one of the main refugee reception sites in Malawi.