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Whinsley Masara, Chronicle Reporter
HOME Affairs Deputy Minister, Cde Obedingwa Mguni has expressed concern at the delay in opening the Binga-Zambia Border post which he said should have been opened eight years ago.
He said May 1, 2017 has been set as the new opening date.
“If Zambia is still not ready then we will give them an ultimatum.
“Zambia has delayed us for a very long time. We have been ready to have the border operational for some time now. We are now giving them an ultimatum to be ready before May 1,” said Deputy Minister Mguni.
He said Zimbabwe was also given a similar ultimatum to open Mlambapeli Border Post by Botswana which felt Zimbabwe was delaying the opening.
“We had to speed up work in order to meet the deadline and the border started operating on June 1, 2016, said Deputy Minister Mguni.
He said the opening of this new border has decongested the Plumtree Border Post.
Deputy Minister Mguni said Zimbabwe was forced to deploy a team to the site to attend to travellers after Botswana threatened to open the border from its side.
“A nine-member team: three immigration officers, four police officers, a veterinary officer and a Zinara officer were deployed to the border post. The officers are operating from temporary structures while efforts are underway to construct permanent structures,” he said.
Deputy Minister Mguni said Binga- Zambia border post could also open using temporary structures like what is at Mlambapeli Border Post.
He said this will facilitate the free movement of people between the two countries including tourists.
“Binga is a tourist attraction and as such tourists from Zambia or from Zimbabwe intending to visit Zambia can use the border post,” he said.
A tarred road from Binga town to the border post has been completed.
@winnie-masara
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