The ManicaPost
Ray Bande Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT is considering officially reopening 15 deregistered border crossing points along the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border as a way of plugging the holes that are being exploited by illegal cross-border traders from both countries, The Manica Post has established.
The move is expected to facilitate free movement of people and goods while taking relevant Covid-19 precautionary measures.
For over two months now, both Zimbabwe and Mozambique’s borders have been closed to all human traffic, except for returning residents and cargo.
However, rampant illegal cross-border activities have been noted along the border as citizens from both countries are freely going about their social and business errands using the multiple entry points, thereby dealing a heavy blow to the fight against Covid-19.
In Nyanga, a number of illegal entry points are in Ward One (Fombe), Ward Five (Nyamasara), Ward 11 (Nyakomba), Ward 12 (Nyamaropa) and Ward 21 (Tangwena).
Nyanga is on the border with Mozambique and stretches for more than 100km, with the Gairezi River separating Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
According to investigations conducted by this publication, illicit brews and bales of second-hand clothes are being smuggled from Mozambique through the illegal entry points during the night.
While Mutare residents are making a killing by selling the smuggled goods in their residential areas, Mozambican nationals are also moving around the streets of the eastern border city selling second-hand winter wear.
The development has since forced authorities in Zimbabwe to moot the reopening of deregistered entry points.
Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs, Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba, noted that illegal activities are rife, adding that they have come up with a list of entry points that will be recommended to the Ministry of Home Affairs for re-opening.
“We have received reports of illegal cross-border activities and we are of the view that we need to have more official entry points so that whoever is crossing from or into Mozambique goes through the necessary Covid-19 screening and quarantine.
“We want those points to be used as official entry points. It can’t be business as usual in this era of Covid-19,” said Dr Gwaradzimba.
Most of the deregistered entry points were being used before independence.
Manicaland provincial council member for Nyanga, Alderman Moses Gutu said, “These entry points need to be opened in order to close all gaps with regards to Covid-19 screening and quarantining returning residents.
The move will have advantages in our tourism sector and other businesses.
“Nyamaropa is 170km from Beira, thereby making it one of the shortest gateways to the sea, but currently someone has to drive down to Forbes Border Post before proceeding to Beira.
“It is sad that while the Covid-19 pandemic requires us to be more vigilant, illegal cross-border activities are now rife in Nyanga.
“We are talking about people who are in intermarriages. Others have relatives and business interests on either side of the border.
“In addition, some Mozambicans get treatment from our Regina Ceoli and Elim Mission Hospitals. Therefore this situation needs us to move with speed,” said Alderman Gutu.
As of Wednesday, the number of cumulative confirmed Covid-19 cases in Zimbabwe was 320, while Mozambique had 472 confirmed cases.
The Mozambican government announced a continuation of the Level Three State of Emergency until June 30.
When Manicaland recorded its first cases of Covid-19, they were part of the people who had returned from Mozambique, South Africa and the United Kingdom, and were all in quarantine centres.
