The Small Scale Business Operators Association of Malawi has given the Ministry of Homeland Security 24 hours to start repatriating all the asylum seekers and refugees who are residing and plying businesses illegally in the country back to refugee camp or their countries of origin.

The remarks by the association follows last Friday’s court ruling which removed an injunction obtained by the asylum seekers and refugees stopping government from relocating them from rural areas to Dzaleka refugee camp in Dowa.

Speaking at a press briefing in Blantyre on Tuesday, the association General Secretary, Tennyson Mulimbula, said they are dismayed that there is no any action from the Ministry of Homeland Security despite the court ruling, therefore they have threated to take unspecified action.

Mulimbula said: “Soon after pronunciation of the verdict on the matter, we were expecting government through the ministry of homeland security to make a statement concerning the start of the repatriation processes but it’s very worrisome to see that nothing has happened.”

The association has further urged President Lazarus Chakwera to swiftly bail out indigenous small scale traders from the suppression of economic freedom that has been imposed on them by illegal foreign traders.

“We want President Chakwera to know that there is scarcity of employment opportunity in the country, and the only opportunity which is readily available is business,” Mulimbula said.

According to the association, the refugees and asylum seekers are enticing owners of business buildings to evict Malawian business traders from their buildings by promising to pay them higher rental fees.

Furthermore, they are plying subsistence small scale businesses meant for Malawians and in addition they are illegally importing goods from abroad and they evade paying duty by using unchartered roots.

Efforts to speak to Minister of Homeland Security, Jean Sendeza, proved futile as she was committed in a meeting.