IT’S all systems go at Beitbridge, Plumtree, Forbes, Chirundu and Victoria Falls border posts after the Government yesterday finalised the legal instrument to operationalise the Cabinet decision to gradually open the port of entries to private passenger vehicles and pedestrians today.
Private passenger vehicles and pedestrians coming or going
outside Zimbabwe can use any of the open border posts but have to go through
strict testing and screening in line with the ongoing Covid-19 protocols.
Buses are expected to follow in the first quarter of next
year but Government will first assess the Covid-19 situation.
Focus today will be more at Plumtree and Beitbridge
borders, where before the pandemic seven million and three million travellers
respectively passed through annually.
Government Gazetted the Statutory Instrument 282 of 2020 to
legalise the Cabinet decision to open the borders for private passenger
vehicles and pedestrians with effect from today.
“With effect from the 1st December 2020, all of the ports
of entry or ports of exit between Zimbabwe and a neighbouring country or
territory shall be opened.
In addition, the entry or exit of goods and of persons
through such port or ports shall be permitted subject to the restrictions
contained in this Order and to the fallowing additional restriction in respect
of persons entering Zimbabwe who are not citizens or returning residents,
namely that such persons must, at the port of entry, exhibit a Covid-19-free
certificate issued not earlier than the previous 48 hours and not present with
symptoms of Covid-19,” reads part of the SI.
Under the new regulations, those travellers with a
Covid-19-free certificate issued not earlier than the previous 48 hours shall,
if they present with symptoms of Covid-19, be refused entry into Zimbabwe.
Travellers who will be Covid-19 free will be allowed passage but they must
continue to observe the country’s Covid-19 management protocols to minimise the
rate of new infections.
Additionally, the curfew has been maintained to be in force
between 10pm and 6am. Besides the effect of the legal instrument, port
authority officials have since concluded operational plans on the ground to
ensure a seamless passage for the many travellers who had not been able to move
for the last six months.
Officials from the Ministry of Health and Child Care have
been testing officials at the border posts for Covid-19 to ensure all workers
are fit for duty and new standard operating procedures have been drawn up to
guide the handling of travellers under the new normal.
The preparations went a gear up following a meeting between
Zimbabwe and South Africa’s Home Affairs Ministers, Kazembe Kazembe and Dr
Aaron Motsoaledi in Beitbridge on Friday last week to ensure procedures on both
sides of Zimbabwe’s busiest border post were harmonised before the re-opening
of the post today.
Yesterday, workmen were busy placing signs to direct
visitors on how they are supposed to move around the border post and hand
basins for sanitisation had also been placed at strategic places around the
immigration halls.
More relief staff for Port Health, Immigration and Customs
had been deployed ahead of the border posts opening.
Officials at the border posts said adequate protective
clothing and equipment for their workers had been acquired. It is also understood
that those in security services have since been deployed to prevent touts,
bogus agents and vendors from entering the border arena.
Meanwhile, in Victoria Falls, Port authorities said
yesterday that all was set for re-opening of the border post today.
The country’s tourism capital falls under north Western
region in terms of immigration and has Victoria Falls International Airport and
four border posts namely Victoria Falls, Kazungula, Pandamatenga and Binga.
Only Victoria Falls is included in the six ports that are
reopening today while Kazungula will remain closed and only accessible to
trucks and other essential services as has been the norm during the lockdown
period.
Kazungula and Victoria Falls are key ports in the country
both for cargo and tourists and Victorial Falls border post used to attend to
more than 1 000 travellers daily before the Covid-19 outbreak.
Regional Immigration officer for North-Western Region Mr
Vincent Mukombero said all protocols have been put in place.
“We are going to open our Victoria Falls border tomorrow
and we will be following normal Covid-19 protocols that have been in place
which means that the Ministry of Health and Child Care will be guiding us in
terms of requirements,” said Mr Mukombero.
“The requirements include a valid passport and PCR negative
certificate which is valid for 48 hours of travel and the Ministry of Health
will administer that and once they are satisfied, they will refer the person to
immigration. For now, what we can say is that all Covid-19 protocols are in
place.”
This means that locals who may want to cross to Livingstone
in Zambia and the Zambian vendors popularly known as Omzanga would need to be
tested prior to crossing the border.
Mr Mukombero said masks and other personal protective
equipment were in place while staff was now well versed with the health
protocols.
Hwange District Medical Officer Dr Fungai Musinami-Mvura
said the port-health facility had been equipped with necessary equipment
including two GeneXpert machines at the border post and airport.
“We have been working from the beginning of the year to
strengthen our port health and we are ready for our visitors to come through.
As you know there is a lot of movement in the border towns which we had missed
so much during lockdown,” said Dr Musinami-Mvura. Chronicle
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