News / National
BAZ kindles hope for communities in border towns
08 May 2014 at 06:35hrs | Views
Week ending Friday 18 April 2014 marked Zimbabwe's 34th Independence anniversary, coinciding with the Christians' celebrations of Good Friday. At the same time this heralded a new era for all Zimbabweans living in and around the country's ports of entry and exit as Government, through the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development resolved to establish the Border Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ).
Whereas in principle, the creation of such Authorities/Agencies elsewhere has been necessitated by the need to establish an integrated management of borders to prevent traffic in illicit goods and passage of illegal foreign nationals, in reality it also opens a window by which Government gets to appreciate the day-to-day struggles of the people living in these areas.
Combating the passage of illicit goods along our corridors requires the participation of the communities who can be the eyes and ears of the Authority. To motivate the communities into active and positive participation it might require the Authority coming up with a sound Social Protection policy for the communities that primarily promotes the employment of locals in its projects at the same time setting aside funding for self-help projects. The Authority can also get involved in the improvement of social amenities infrastructure in these same communities, a move that would be most welcome. The happiness of the people living in the border communities will go a long way towards the success of the Authority.
It is important to note that over the years economic opportunities in the border areas have only been restricted to the towns where we have seen the mushrooming of clearing agents. In the rural part of the border where smuggling is rife there are no economic opportunities besides smuggling. In Beitbridge East cigarettes smuggling is rife while along the Zambezi river in Jambezi cattle rustling is the order of the day. As such the coming in of BAZ is expected to usher some major transformation of the border area with the border rural communities set to be the main beneficiaries.
As we reflect 34 years of Independence, it is important to remember that people living in the border areas around Zimbabwe played a major role in the liberation of the country. For that role, they deserve better and BAZ may not have come at a better time than now, especially when social protection of the rural population has becoming a top-most priority in the African continent.
Surely, there could be no other better independence gift than BAZ to the people in the Chikwalakwala area of Chiredzi, Dukwe-Madabe in Plumtree, Jambezi in Hwange, Chirundu in Mashonaland West just to name a few. To these communities, BAZ is indeed the long awaited Moses who is set to lead these communities to the promised land of Canaan. BAZ, therefore, is to the rural folk what icing is to a cake as it is set to sweeten the fruits of political independence as well as numerous indigenisation policies that have been set up by Government.
It is important to make reflections on the experiences of people living in the border areas particularly during the liberation struggle in order to understand what good news BAZ carries for them. During the liberation struggle the border communities had to contend with the growing numbers of the country's sons and daughters leaving and coming back into the country to wedge the war of liberation struggle after having successfully undergone military training within the region and outside the continent.
During the liberation struggle the border communities naturally became major targets of the Smith regime's relentless atrocities in resistance to majority rule. Let us view the intensity of the war in these communities in the eyes of Jim Parker's (2012) Assignment Selous Scouts: Inside Story of a Rhodesian Special Branch Officer the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army had no less than 10 entry points into Zimbabwe between Beitbridge and Kariba. It had four sectors coming from the Gaza province through strategic points between Beitbridge and Chiredzi. Between Chipinge and Mutare you had three sectors namely Musikavanhu, Monomotapa and the Tangwena sector drifting from the Manica province. From Tete province you had the Chitepo, Takawira, Chaminuka, Nehanda and Rubatsiro sectors. Those who survived the liberation struggle and are still alive today can recall the untold suffering they were subjected too by the Rhodesia Security Forces through operations code named Repulse in Chiredzi-Beitbridge area, Thrasher in Mutare and Hurricane in Mashonaland.
The cease fire of 1979 and subsequent independence Zimbabweans celebrate each year on 18 April ushered political freedom. Through policies such as the land reform Zimbabweans have been empowered to drift towards economic independence, with the indigenisation programme also meant to achieve same. A number of social amenities have been established in most rural areas in Zimbabwe but most of the rural border communities still lack.
Most of the rural communities in the border areas lack necessary social amenities infrastructure. The road network has deteriorated over the years. Actually what are called roads in these areas are the former Rhodesian Security Forces patrol routes. For example in Beitbridge East people living in villages such as Chapongwe, Dumba, and Mutete just to name a few use South Africa's communication lines.
Still in Beitbridge the communities leave under the fear of Omagumaguma and cigarettes smugglers, while in the Jambezi area of Hwange they are subjected to dangerous cattle rustlers. The Nyamapanda area of late has been reduced to a disease war zone with cholera and typhoid topping the charts and all these ills ought to disappear with the coming in of BAZ.
Despite the challenges most people finds themselves in, they have not wavered in their support for the liberation movement. In rural Beitbridge hundreds of villagers thronged Chapongwe primary school to be part of the joint Independence and Easter festivities soccer tournament that was organised by Albert Ngulube who is said to be a senior official in the Office of the President. The way the boys played their soccer and the women both old and young ululated was devoid of any misgiving on the gains of independence.
Indeed, the anticipated regulatory authority BAZ besides improving efficiency and effectiveness of border operations it is expected to be the Government's lead agency in coming up with a robust Social Protection programs for the communities living in the environs around the border.
In the same manner the rural communities were the ears and eyes of the comrades during the struggle today they have to be the eyes and ears of the Government in the fight against border leakages. This can be achieved by including the people into the economic value chain, which BAZ is expected to undertake.
Whereas in principle, the creation of such Authorities/Agencies elsewhere has been necessitated by the need to establish an integrated management of borders to prevent traffic in illicit goods and passage of illegal foreign nationals, in reality it also opens a window by which Government gets to appreciate the day-to-day struggles of the people living in these areas.
Combating the passage of illicit goods along our corridors requires the participation of the communities who can be the eyes and ears of the Authority. To motivate the communities into active and positive participation it might require the Authority coming up with a sound Social Protection policy for the communities that primarily promotes the employment of locals in its projects at the same time setting aside funding for self-help projects. The Authority can also get involved in the improvement of social amenities infrastructure in these same communities, a move that would be most welcome. The happiness of the people living in the border communities will go a long way towards the success of the Authority.
It is important to note that over the years economic opportunities in the border areas have only been restricted to the towns where we have seen the mushrooming of clearing agents. In the rural part of the border where smuggling is rife there are no economic opportunities besides smuggling. In Beitbridge East cigarettes smuggling is rife while along the Zambezi river in Jambezi cattle rustling is the order of the day. As such the coming in of BAZ is expected to usher some major transformation of the border area with the border rural communities set to be the main beneficiaries.
As we reflect 34 years of Independence, it is important to remember that people living in the border areas around Zimbabwe played a major role in the liberation of the country. For that role, they deserve better and BAZ may not have come at a better time than now, especially when social protection of the rural population has becoming a top-most priority in the African continent.
Surely, there could be no other better independence gift than BAZ to the people in the Chikwalakwala area of Chiredzi, Dukwe-Madabe in Plumtree, Jambezi in Hwange, Chirundu in Mashonaland West just to name a few. To these communities, BAZ is indeed the long awaited Moses who is set to lead these communities to the promised land of Canaan. BAZ, therefore, is to the rural folk what icing is to a cake as it is set to sweeten the fruits of political independence as well as numerous indigenisation policies that have been set up by Government.
During the liberation struggle the border communities naturally became major targets of the Smith regime's relentless atrocities in resistance to majority rule. Let us view the intensity of the war in these communities in the eyes of Jim Parker's (2012) Assignment Selous Scouts: Inside Story of a Rhodesian Special Branch Officer the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army had no less than 10 entry points into Zimbabwe between Beitbridge and Kariba. It had four sectors coming from the Gaza province through strategic points between Beitbridge and Chiredzi. Between Chipinge and Mutare you had three sectors namely Musikavanhu, Monomotapa and the Tangwena sector drifting from the Manica province. From Tete province you had the Chitepo, Takawira, Chaminuka, Nehanda and Rubatsiro sectors. Those who survived the liberation struggle and are still alive today can recall the untold suffering they were subjected too by the Rhodesia Security Forces through operations code named Repulse in Chiredzi-Beitbridge area, Thrasher in Mutare and Hurricane in Mashonaland.
The cease fire of 1979 and subsequent independence Zimbabweans celebrate each year on 18 April ushered political freedom. Through policies such as the land reform Zimbabweans have been empowered to drift towards economic independence, with the indigenisation programme also meant to achieve same. A number of social amenities have been established in most rural areas in Zimbabwe but most of the rural border communities still lack.
Most of the rural communities in the border areas lack necessary social amenities infrastructure. The road network has deteriorated over the years. Actually what are called roads in these areas are the former Rhodesian Security Forces patrol routes. For example in Beitbridge East people living in villages such as Chapongwe, Dumba, and Mutete just to name a few use South Africa's communication lines.
Still in Beitbridge the communities leave under the fear of Omagumaguma and cigarettes smugglers, while in the Jambezi area of Hwange they are subjected to dangerous cattle rustlers. The Nyamapanda area of late has been reduced to a disease war zone with cholera and typhoid topping the charts and all these ills ought to disappear with the coming in of BAZ.
Despite the challenges most people finds themselves in, they have not wavered in their support for the liberation movement. In rural Beitbridge hundreds of villagers thronged Chapongwe primary school to be part of the joint Independence and Easter festivities soccer tournament that was organised by Albert Ngulube who is said to be a senior official in the Office of the President. The way the boys played their soccer and the women both old and young ululated was devoid of any misgiving on the gains of independence.
Indeed, the anticipated regulatory authority BAZ besides improving efficiency and effectiveness of border operations it is expected to be the Government's lead agency in coming up with a robust Social Protection programs for the communities living in the environs around the border.
In the same manner the rural communities were the ears and eyes of the comrades during the struggle today they have to be the eyes and ears of the Government in the fight against border leakages. This can be achieved by including the people into the economic value chain, which BAZ is expected to undertake.
Source - Dingizulu Mahlathini Moyo
