Zimbabwe, Botswana border impasse rages on

A long-standing border dispute between Zimbabwe and Botswana, sparked by the construction of the Kazungula Bridge, continues to be a contentious issue four years after the US$259.3 million project was officially opened. Despite numerous high-level meetings and efforts to resolve the matter, tensions remain high over the location of a border beacon, designated BB842, which is at the heart of the dispute.

The Kazungula Bridge, which spans 923 meters and connects Zambia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe, was jointly funded by Zambia and Botswana, with additional backing from international partners such as the African Development Bank (AFDB), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the European Union-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund. However, the project has become a flashpoint in a territorial disagreement between the two neighboring countries.

At the center of the dispute is the placement of border beacon BB842, with Botswana contesting its location, alleging it was marked incorrectly. The issue escalated following a routine border verification exercise, where Botswana officials claimed that the beacon was misplaced, further complicating an already sensitive matter.

A series of diplomatic meetings held that year failed to bring a resolution. The most recent attempt to resolve the dispute occurred in December 2023, when Zimbabwe's Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, Anxious Masuka, met with Botswana's then-Lands, Management, Water, and Sanitation Services Minister, Kefentse Mzwinila, at the Kazungula border post. The meeting, also attended by Zimbabwe's Surveyor General, Edwin Guvaza, ended in deadlock, leaving the dispute unresolved.

In an interview with The Independent this week, Guvaza confirmed that the matter is still pending but stressed that some aspects of the negotiations are confidential and cannot be discussed in the media. He added that the issue is now being handled directly by President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his counterpart in Botswana.

"This issue is still ongoing. Some matters are confidential and cannot be addressed through the press. I would need authorization from the minister to comment," Guvaza said. "The minister is now handling the matter with His Excellency (President Mnangagwa)."

Attempts by The Independent to contact senior officials from Botswana's government, including acting Lands and Agriculture Minister Edwin Dikoloti, Water and Human Settlements Minister Onneetse Ramogapi, and government spokesperson Montlenyane Baaitse, went unanswered before publication.

The dispute centers around the claim that the Kazungula Bridge, which was constructed to facilitate trade and improve regional connectivity, encroaches into Zimbabwean territory. According to sources close to the matter, Zimbabwean officials have made a compelling case, arguing that the bridge, which was designed to link the three countries, overlaps into Zimbabwe's designated land area.

“There is a reaffirmation of border beacons, which is a routine periodic exercise, and Botswana decided that the last beacon by the river (Zambezi) BB842 is in the wrong position,” a source, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained in January 2023. “Zimbabwe has made a strong case that the Kazungula Bridge overlapped into its territory.”

This claim, according to sources, was triggered after Gaborone officials alleged that beacon BB842 was placed incorrectly, an assertion that Zimbabwe vehemently disputes.

As the diplomatic tension lingers, the dispute over the Kazungula Bridge continues to affect relations between the two countries. While efforts have been made to find common ground, the issue remains unresolved, with both Zimbabwe and Botswana continuing to engage in diplomatic talks.