Nqobile Bhebhe [email protected]
COMMERCIAL vehicles using the Chirundu Border Post will face fees of up to US$315 under a new United States dollar charging regime introduced through regulations governing the modernisation of the strategic Zimbabwe-Zambia trade gateway.
The Toll Roads (Chirundu Border Post Modernisation) Regulations, 2026, published under Statutory Instrument 154 of 2026, authorise the project concessionaire to collect tolls from commercial vehicles passing through the border customs area, with separate parking charges also prescribed.
Under the regulations, abnormal-load vehicles will attract the highest vehicle fee of US$315, followed by goods vehicles at US$150 and heavy vehicles at US$100.
The schedule also provides for fees of US$50 for coaches and US$32 for minibuses, while passenger vehicles are listed at US$22.
Parking charges are payable separately, with abnormal-load vehicles attracting US$80, while heavy vehicles, goods vehicles and coaches will pay US$40.
Minibuses and passenger vehicles will each attract US$10 in parking fees.
The prescribed vehicle and parking fees exclude value-added tax (VAT), while parking charges apply per day or part thereof.
The new charging framework places border passage costs among the considerations for transport operators and businesses moving goods through Chirundu, a strategic crossing on the regional trade route linking Zimbabwe and Zambia.
For freight companies, the charges could have implications for transport pricing, particularly where operators must account for vehicle fees and parking costs when calculating the cost of moving goods across borders.
Importers and exporters relying on road transport may also need to factor the prescribed charges into their logistics budgets, although the actual impact on freight rates will depend on how operators incorporate the fees into their pricing.
The regulations require commercial vehicles passing through the Chirundu Border Customs Area to pay the project toll at a designated office, exclusively in United States dollars.
However, the instrument does not provide a specific calendar date for implementation.
Instead, it states that the regulations will come into operation on a date to be fixed by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development through a General Notice, being the date on which the Chirundu Border Post commences operations.
This ties the introduction of the regulatory framework to the commencement of operations at the modernised border facility.
The regulations designate roads within the Chirundu Border Post Modernisation Project area as toll roads for purposes of the Toll Roads Act and provide for the concessionaire to receive the project tolls.
The project is defined as the upgrade and modernisation of Chirundu Border Post by Chirundu Border Consortium (Private) Limited, including associated works, services and activities undertaken in connection with the development, whether inside or outside the customs area.
The framework also provides exemptions for Zimbabwean and Zambian border officials and Government vehicles travelling on official business.
The introduction of the fees comes as businesses depend on efficient border operations to move goods through regional supply chains.
For transport operators, the relationship between the new charges and the operational benefits delivered by the modernised facility will be an important consideration in assessing the overall cost of using the crossing.
While the statutory instrument sets out the applicable fees and collection arrangements, it does not disclose the total investment in the modernisation project, the duration of the concession or the expected reduction in border processing times.
The extent to which improved border operations may offset the additional charges for businesses will therefore depend on the facility’s operational performance and the implementation arrangements.
For companies using the Chirundu route, the key consideration will be how the new fee structure affects the cost of moving goods once the modernised border post begins operations.
