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Malawi Seeks Missing Girls in Russia Trap
A tempest is rising over claims that Malawian girls are among hundreds of young African women reportedly held in Alabuga, a Russian military-industrial area manufacturing suicide drones for use in the conflict with Ukraine.
The Human Rights Watch (HRW) Southern Africa branch has stated it is reaching out to its Moscow-based colleagues to examine reports that Malawians were enrolled in the so-called Alabuga Start initiative — a program that offered employment and educational prospects but is currently being probed for suspected human trafficking and forced labor.
HRW Senior Africa Researcher Idriss Ali Nassah informed this outlet that discussions are currently taking place.
"We have asked our partner office, which is monitoring the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, to supply the information you are requesting," Nassah stated, emphasizing that HRW only makes public comments after its internal investigations are finished.
The Alabuga Start initiative has faced significant worldwide attention after several investigative reports uncovered that hundreds of young women from Africa and Asia were enticed to Russia with offers of scholarships, only to find themselves working in difficult factory environments assembling Shahed drones.
In Malawi, the disclosure has raised concerns within civil society and governmental bodies.
Chairperson of the Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC), Robert Mkwezalamba, stated that his group has already communicated with government departments to confirm the allegations.
"We have talked about this with the relevant ministers, but it seems even the government is unaware that some Malawian girls are being held in a drone manufacturing plant," Mkwezalamba stated.
Although information regarding the Malawian victims is still uncertain, officials in Parliament have verified that a proposal is being prepared to officially address the matter.
A representative, speaking under the condition of anonymity, stated that legislators plan to seek explanations regarding how the girls were brought in.
"We must not remain silent about this issue as it concerns the lives of citizens. Individuals who facilitated their travel under the guise of academic scholarships or job opportunities need to be identified," the MP stated.
Human rights advocate Benedicto Kondowe urged immediate changes to Malawi's labor export framework, stating that citizens pursuing jobs overseas should be safeguarded against abuse.
We require a framework in which labor agreements are handled exclusively between governments — as demonstrated by the recent Malawi-Israel Labor Export Agreement," Kondowe stated. "This promotes responsibility, openness, and above all, the security of Malawians living overseas.
Malawi finds itself in a challenging diplomatic position. Although it cast a vote to criticize Russia's invasion of Ukraine at the United Nations, Lilongwe still keeps good relations with Moscow, which provided 20,000 tonnes of fertilizer in 2023. In contrast, Ukraine offered humanitarian assistance in 2024, delivering 14,500 tonnes of maize to assist the nation in dealing with food shortages caused by El Niño.
In the meantime, other Southern African nations—such as Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa—have started identifying their citizens stranded in Alabuga, collaborating with embassies and Interpol to assist with potential returns.
The controversy escalated when Malawi's envoy to Russia, Joseph Mpinganjira, revealed to journalists last month that his office had received job applications from Russia concerning the Alabuga initiative.
A report by Bloomberg and other media organizations revealed that Interpol in Botswana is currently investigating the Alabuga Start program, which has been directly associated with the manufacturing of Shahed suicide drones utilized by Russian forces in Ukraine.
As per the Russian investigative platform Protokol, Alabuga has enlisted approximately 350 women from 40 nations since 2022 — with ambitions to reach 8,500. The report highlights two Malawian women among the 182 African and Asian participants, along with 46 from Uganda, 14 each from Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Sudan, six from South Africa, four from Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, and additional individuals from various parts of the continent.
Currently, the future of the Malawian girls is unclear – however, the demand on officials to take action is increasing daily.
Copyright 2025 Nyasa Times. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (okay1)
Tagged: Malawi, Europe and Africa, Human Rights, Southern Africa, External Relations
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