The government says the repatriation of the remains of two former political prisoners Simon Niilenge and Festus Nehale from Cape Town, South Africa, is about restoring dignity, reconnecting families with their ancestors and addressing a painful chapter in the country's liberation history.

A South African forensic anthropologist, Dr Kavita Lakha, will lead the scientific examination of the remains of former Robben Island political prisoners Simon Niilenge and Festus Nehale. 

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has demanded the immediate release of political prisoners in Madagascar and an end to the arrest of opposition leaders and members of Generation Z (Gen-Z) as regional leaders push for a return to constitutional rule.