Story by Wellington Makonese
REFURBISHMENT and expansion of border posts are high on the government agenda this calendar year, a move expected to contain increased traffic volumes around the country’s trading zones and ports of entry.
The government is targeting to complete pending projects, chief among them Border Control Areas to accommodate increased trade traffic and improve efficiency at ports of entry.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister, Honourable Felix Mhona says following the completion of the Beitbridge Border Post Modernisation Programme, the focus has now shifted to Nyamapanda, Kanyemba, Mukumbura, and Forbes Border posts.
“We are strategically positioned in SADC we connect Malawi, Zambia Mozambique, the idea is to link the borders, and that’s why the President has placed a vibrant border post. We have challenges at Forbes, trucks thanks to the booming economy, we want to enhance the Chirundu corridors, using Nyamapanda, and the corridor will lead us to Beira, the infrastructure is there, we are seized, enlargement of Forbes border post is almost done.
“We are in the middle of signing a concession for that road, we are also gravitating towards Mukumbura and we are looking to expand it, in the same province we are doing Kanyemba Border Post, this is a post that links us to other nations,” he said.
The expansion of the border posts will also include road works on major highways to Mukumbura Border Post and Kanyemba which connect to Mozambique and Zambia.
“We are going to dwell on the Kanyemba and Mukumbura border post these are the gateways, this is a Y port being constructed to connect three countries, and in terms of ease of doing business it’s a gateway, works will be also on the roads that lead into other countries to facilitate trade,” he said.
Improved economic activity is noticeable at Forbes Border Post, with the government directing that the port of entry starts operating 24 hours beginning on Monday to address congestion issues and improve revenue generation.
Infrastructure development is at the core of the National Development Strategy One economic blueprint objectives, with more than 1 800 projects having been completed countrywide, while over 400 are at various stages of execution.
