Kasambabezi Border Post to unlock Binga’s economic potential: Ministert Kazembe

BINGA - For years, Binga residents watched trucks and traders take long detours to cross into Zambia. That changes this week.


The Kasambabezi Border Post, linking Zimbabwe and Zambia through Binga, will be officially commissioned by Vice President Kembo Mohadi in a ceremony expected to draw senior Government officials, including Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe and Hon Exevia Moses Maoneke, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence, Home Affairs, Security Services and War Veterans Affairs.

Speaking ahead of the event, Minister Kazembe said the project was more than concrete and border gates. He described it as a long‑awaited intervention to close a development gap. “The opening of the Kasambabezi Border Post is expected to put Binga on the map and create immense economic opportunities for the area,” he said. “It is in line with the Second Republic’s development philosophy of leaving no one and no place behind. Improved connectivity with Zambia will stimulate commerce, create jobs and improve livelihoods for our people.”

Kazembe framed the border post as a strategic investment that will cut travel time, formalise movement and open doors for cross‑border trade, tourism and investment that Binga has long been cut off from. He said Government remained committed to expanding border infrastructure to improve trade facilitation, strengthen regional integration and accelerate socio‑economic development in line with Vision 2030.

Hon Maoneke said the commissioning demonstrated that national development plans were reaching rural districts. “The commissioning of the border post demonstrated the Second Republic’s commitment to ensuring that development reached every corner of the country,” he said. He added that improved border infrastructure would enhance security management while creating new opportunities for businesses, farmers, transport operators and communities in Binga and surrounding districts.

Once operational, Kasambabezi is expected to become an important gateway for the movement of people and goods between Zimbabwe and Zambia. It will complement existing border facilities such as Chirundu and Kariba, supporting Government efforts to promote inclusive development through infrastructure modernisation.

For Binga, a district on the shores of Lake Kariba, officials say the border post could shift its economy from largely subsistence to one tied directly into regional supply chains — from fish and crafts to tourism routes linking both sides of the Zambezi. The Vice President is set to preside over the official opening, marking what officials are calling the start of “a new era of economic transformation” for Binga, reinforcing broader discussions around Zimbabwe–Zambia trade corridors and Binga regional integration.