THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) has bemoaned the porosity of Chirundu Border Post saying it is contributing to massive revenue leakage.
The Chirundu Border Post is a busy border crossing between Zimbabwe and Zambia, situated on the banks of the Zambezi River.
It is about 140km southeast of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia and operates as a one-stop border post, making it the main crossing point between Zimbabwe and Zambia.
The border post is surrounded by wildlife and safari areas.
Addressing delegates and stakeholders during a verification visit of Chirundu Border Post by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Industry and Commerce last week, Zimra regional manager in charge of Chirundu, Kariba and Nyamapanda Border Posts, Angeline Mashiri, said smugglers were taking advantage of the Zambezi River and national park areas, to evade law enforcers and immigration officials.
“Addressing porosity at Chirundu Border Post requires a multi-faceted approach to ensure effective border management and security,” she said.
“Smugglers are taking advantage of the Zambezi River and national park areas, which are porous and this has led to revenue leakages.”
Mashiri said there was a need for advanced technologies to deal with the scourge.
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“There is a need for advanced technologies such as drones and tight patrols, but due to limited resources, we have been affected big time,” she said.
Industry and Commerce Parliamentary Portfolio Committee chairperson Ngonidzashe Mudekunye said the removal of the police roadblock at Makuti was a contributory factor to increased smuggling in Chirundu.
“We were used to a scenario where we had a roadblock at Makuti most of the time and this was positive as it helped in combating smuggling. Now, smugglers are taking advantage of that gap and this is not good for business as it encourages revenue loss and crime,” Mudekunye said.
Chirundu Border Post, like many other points of entry and exit in Africa, faces challenges related to porosity.
Another contributory factor to the porosity at Chirundu Border Post is its proximity to a national park, making it difficult to patrol and monitor.
The port of entry is also marred by insufficient personnel, lack of modern surveillance equipment, inadequate border signage and demarcation, which can make it difficult to determine the official crossing points, among other factors.
