Zimbabwe legally opens its land borders to vaccinated travellers

Fully vaccinated travellers started crossing land borders yesterday after the Government lifted restrictions that prohibited non-essential travel in the last two years to contain the spread of Covid-19.

A fortnight ago, the Cabinet approved the reopening of land borders to travellers provided they are fully vaccinated.

However, since then, the borders were yet to fully open pending the availability of legal backing.

Land borders opened yesterday on the strength of a General Notice 421 of 2022, issued by the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Kazembe Kazembe on Friday.

"The Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage hereby notifies every police officer, customs officer, and immigration officer that the entry and exit of persons into or out of Zimbabwe at all ports of entry and exit is permitted subject to the provisions of Statutory Instrument 18 of 2022, on Public Health (Covid-19 Prevention, Containment, and Treatment) (Amendment order, 2022 (No 40)," read the notice.

Prior to the latest decision, only commercial cargo, Zimbabweans with permits to live or work in other countries were allowed to use land borders.

Acting Immigration Officer in-charge-of Beitbridge, Mr Trustworthy Manatsire said: "We are ready, we have deployed enough manpower which is already vaccinated against Covid-19 to handle an increase in human and vehicular traffic in line with the new regulations.

"We have also informed our counterparts in South Africa on the latest developments and they have started adjusting their operations."

Zimborders Consortium's CEO, Mr Francois Diedrechsen said the reopening of land borders will not affect the ongoing civil works at the Beitbridge Border Post, which is being modernised at a cost of US$300 million.