ZAMBIA: Food crisis sends Zimbabweans across the border to Zambia

Zambian authorities are struggling to cope with an upsurge of Zimbabweans crossing the border to shop for basic products as the economic crisis in their home country bites deeper. Most of the traders who enter Zambia come with wine, beer, oranges, mazoe juice and other consumables which they sell in Zambian towns neighbouring their country. "Some of these things are caused by the sanctions which are imposed on our nation. So, our country is not able to access funds to bring some of the necessities which our fellow country-men needs, you know, like, foreign currency to source fuel, foreign currency to import food", said Zimbabwean trader, Kenneth Mariridza, who crosses the border to Livingstone in Zambia every morning and returns to Zimbabwe at the end of the day. Zambia has three main border towns which receive a large number of Zimbabweans every day. The Zambian government allows Zimbabweans who do not have passports to cross into Zambia using a pass, as along as it has an official stamp. The immigration department says the number of Zimbabweans crossing into Zambia daily at the Livingstone border had risen from 60 to 1 000 people, with long lines forming at the border post every day. "Apparently, we are interdependent. So the economy of Zimbabwe is bad. So, we should assist them," said David Phiri, a Zambian national. Immigration spokesperson, Mulako Mbangweta, says the government is concered that the situation was spiralling out of control in Livingstone - a tourist hub because of the nearby Victoria Falls. Mbangweta said some of these women who come to Zambia to buy goods such as bread, cornflour and milk are also engaging in prostitution. "We did do a serious operation where a number of Zimbabwean ladies were arrested, a number of these ladies were engaged in prostitution and the information has still come back to the department that they are still engaging in prostitution," Mbangweta said. According to the WFP (World Food Programme), about USD118 million is needed to help more than 3.3 million Zimbabweans facing severe food shortages.

ITN Source | September 19, 2007

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