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Richard Muponde Gwanda Correspondent
MLAMBAPELI Border Post in Gwanda South, the fourth between Botswana and Zimbabwe is expected to open on May 1 in a move aimed at decongesting Plumtree Border Post.

The idea of having a fourth border post between the two countries was mooted about 10 years ago and Botswana finished constructing structures in 2008 and has been waiting for Zimbabwe to do the same.

At the moment the Zimbabwean side has no structures in place, except a borehole and the government has indicated that it will move with haste to put up structures before the border opens in two months’ time.

The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Cde Obedingwa Mguni, toured the border post on Friday and announced plans for its opening.

So far Plumtree, Maitengwe and Mphoengs border posts are operational.

“The border is going to open on May 1. Its purpose is to enhance trade between Zimbabwe and Botswana and decongest Plumtree Border Post. It’s also supposed to help solve cross border crimes especially stock theft as it was taking long for law enforcement agencies to access each other in terms of cooperation as they had to use long routes to this part of the country,” said Cde Mguni

The Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Joram Gumbo, said a new road would be constructed for easy access of the border.

“We’re going to start with the first 20 kilometres from Bethel to Manama Mission hospital coming from Gwanda town. We’ve received reports that patients are dying on the road due to the bad state of the road,” said Minister Gumbo.

He said Zinara would provide the structures for the border post which were removed from tollgates when permanent structures were constructed.

“I’m also informed that the road to the border had already been mooted by DDF and Zimra, which I’m advised had committed itself to funding its construction. We’re going to see that the papers have reached my ministry so that the road be constructed fast,” he said.