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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau

THE Department of Immigration has introduced the use of automated gate systems, commonly referred to as eGates, to allow travelers with new biometric passports to enter or depart Zimbabwe with minimal human interaction, enhancing both convenience and security.

This latest move is part of the Government’s drive to modernize service delivery in line with the upgraded Beitbridge Border Post.

Under the new setup, the eGates enable travelers to scan their biometric passports and undergo automated identity verification, replacing the need for manual passport checks by border officials. This system is expected to significantly reduce waiting times and improve the efficiency of border control procedures.

The Regional Immigration Officer in charge of the Southern Region (Beitbridge, Masvingo, Sango, and Chiredzi), Mr. Joshua Chibundu, said the move was part of Zimbabwe’s broader efforts to modernize its ports of entry. It also aligns with global trends toward more streamlined and secure border management through the use of advanced technologies.

“We have started with a test run effective 14 January and we are impressed so far with the effectiveness of these eGates,” said Mr. Chibundu. “Basically, we are embracing the ease of doing business and as such we have completed setting up the eGates and we expect them to be commissioned soon. In addition to the eGates, we have also upgraded the Online Border Management System (OBMS).”

He said the new immigration system is complementary to the current automation system at the border where most services are now being digitized. The OBMS is able to capture travelers’ bio-data, picking flagged travelers, auto-generating days for visitors—for example, allocating 30 days for those visiting on holidays, seven days for business travel, and three days for those transiting through the country.

Mr. Chibundu said the new electronic system eliminates a lot of bottlenecks that come with the use of manual systems at the port of entry.

The government, in a 17-and-a-half-year partnership with the Zimborders Consortium, upgraded the Beitbridge border post under a public-private partnership, where Zimborders is managing and maintaining the facility pending the handover to the government at the end of the concession.

Under the current setup, border authorities are now able to clear 60 percent of commercial cargo arriving at Beitbridge in under three hours.

In addition, authorities are also looking at adopting some of the AI technologies.

An estimated seven million travelers use the border annually, while nearly 1,200 commercial trucks, 200 buses, and 2,100 light vehicles pass through the same port on a daily basis, and the number is expected to increase fivefold with new efficiency systems kicking in.

The port of entry’s transformation came with the automation of services and the separation of traffic into commercial, buses, light vehicles, and pedestrian traffic.

As the nexus of regional and international trade, the port of entry can now absorb increased traffic volumes with commercial cargo taking less than three hours and ordinary travelers spending less than 30 minutes to pass through the facility, provided they have all the necessary immigration and customs documents.