As you snake your way around them with negotiations and hooting to make your way to the Border Control Gate you can’t help but wonder at the brains behind this chaos. If you finally make it to the Main gate you are greeted by a sign that says “Welcome to The Chirundu One Stop Border Post (OSBP)” and you wonder so what is all the chaos about if this is the famous OSBP.
If you think now you can drive through and do your One Stop Border Formalities, you have one more surprise coming as the main gate is blocked by more haulage trucks queuing to go to the weigh bridge. By the blocked gate sits a representative of RESISTANCE, the security company responsible for the movement of traffic in and out of the border. He seems oblivious to the chaos that it is his duty to bring to order.
Alighting from your air conditioned vehicle you are hit by the Chirundu oven heat of 41 degrees Celsius. The Customs and Immigration building is as hot as Hades – this beautiful complex, opened in 2009, no longer has working air conditioning. By chance I met a man who worked for the company who installed it. He said it could be easily repaired but the powers that be gave the job to some guy who bungled the repairs.
As you head to the Zambian side the once chaotic trucks are now in a disciplined single file snaking across the bridge. The Zambian air conditioned building is a stark contrast to the Zimbabwean oven. Five minutes later we are through the formalities and on our way to Lusaka.
Why the contrast? I believe this second class citizen mentality is the cause of our poor showing.
Customs and Immigration points are the doorway to Zimbabwe and they introduce us as a poorly managed country. Zimbabweans! Raise your Game! – JazMac, by email
Post published in: Letters to the Editor