Deportation of long-time Hilversum resident delayed at last minute

The 21 Zimbabwean Kuda Matungamire will be allowed to stay in the Netherlands for the time being. Law firm Prakken d'Oliveire was able to stop his deportation and he was not forced to get onto a plane back to his home country on Tuesday afternoon, De Gooi- en Eemlander reports.

"It is a legal reprieve through a preliminary injunction. But the lawyer sees opportunities to start a new case", Ernst Reijseger, activist for the Facebook page Kuda moet bliljven, said to the newspaper.

Kuda's lawyer Edward van Kempen refused to comment. "Kuda is quite overwhelmed by all the media attention. We are quickly going to see what is reals. Giving details at this point is not in the interest of my client", the lawyer said to the paper.

Kuda Matungamire fled Zimbabwe in 2008 and moved in by his aunt and uncle in Hilversum. His aunt is also from Zimbabwe. His relatives took him in as foster child. As no asylum application was filed for Kuda, he does not fall under the children’s exemption, and is thus being deported.

Earlier on Tuesday the Hilversum municipality called on State Secretary Klaas Dijkhoff of Security and Justice to not deport Kuda, saying that "the boy is rooted in Hilversum" and that they are proud to have him.