News / National
Forbes border post offices to be demolished
07 Jun 2017 at 08:57hrs | Views
Operations at Forbes Border Post in Mutare will be interrupted in the coming weeks to pave way for the construction of a new road.
This comes after the Manicaland Provincial office gave border officials a two-week ultimatum to vacate office buildings.
The offices at one of the country's busiest ports of entry are manned by officials from Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and Immigration, with the demolitions likely to cause loss of revenue.
But Manicaland provincial road engineer Arnold Mutungwazi insists it will help the flow of traffic and make it easier to implement some of the border management systems.
"Government position is to rehabilitate the road for 800 metres, the current road that is there is not suitable for a border post," Mutungwazi told the Daily News yesterday.
He added that it was important to accelerate the rebuilding of the border post to meet modern standards.
"We are widening the road in line with international best practise. It's being widened by 14 metres.
"Each road will have servitude of 70 metres, so the offices are in the road servitude."
Mutungwazi said besides road construction, the offices were illegal structures as they had been built outside the city building by-laws.
He added that the concerned officials had been advised to seek an alternative from the Mutare Rural District Council (MRDC).
He, however, could not be drawn into giving the cost of constructing the road.
Efforts to get a comment from the MRDC were fruitless as they kept referring all questions to the Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Mandiitawepi Chimene.
Mutare Mayor Tatenda Nhamarare also said he was not ready to comment on the matter as he was yet to have full details.
Zimra spokesperson Canisio Mudzimu had not yet responded to questions sent to him at the time of going to print.
Forbes Border Post joins Zimbabwe and its eastern neighbour Mozambique and has become one of the country's busiest entry ports.
This comes after the Manicaland Provincial office gave border officials a two-week ultimatum to vacate office buildings.
The offices at one of the country's busiest ports of entry are manned by officials from Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and Immigration, with the demolitions likely to cause loss of revenue.
But Manicaland provincial road engineer Arnold Mutungwazi insists it will help the flow of traffic and make it easier to implement some of the border management systems.
"Government position is to rehabilitate the road for 800 metres, the current road that is there is not suitable for a border post," Mutungwazi told the Daily News yesterday.
He added that it was important to accelerate the rebuilding of the border post to meet modern standards.
"We are widening the road in line with international best practise. It's being widened by 14 metres.
Mutungwazi said besides road construction, the offices were illegal structures as they had been built outside the city building by-laws.
He added that the concerned officials had been advised to seek an alternative from the Mutare Rural District Council (MRDC).
He, however, could not be drawn into giving the cost of constructing the road.
Efforts to get a comment from the MRDC were fruitless as they kept referring all questions to the Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Mandiitawepi Chimene.
Mutare Mayor Tatenda Nhamarare also said he was not ready to comment on the matter as he was yet to have full details.
Zimra spokesperson Canisio Mudzimu had not yet responded to questions sent to him at the time of going to print.
Forbes Border Post joins Zimbabwe and its eastern neighbour Mozambique and has become one of the country's busiest entry ports.
Source - dailynews
