A look into Masisi’s idea for Zim
I foresee a very long queue at the Ramokgwebana Border post on the day Zimbos are allowed to use their Identity Cards to cross into Botswana.
A good number of my countrymen are finding it tough here at home and will always make full use of opportunities to leave the country; so if the proposed talks come to fruition and an agreement is reached, many will celebrate.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi revealed last week that he will soon meet with President Emmerson Mnangagwa to discuss eliminating the use of passports – just like they did with Namibia.
There is a good and a bad side to this sort of arrangement, which I personally believe works best when the countries involved have vibrant economies.
In a situation like Zimbabwe, where most citizens are struggling to make ends meet and always desperately seeking a possible escape route from their poverty, it might create an immigration crisis.
Of course, Botswana has said there will be systems in place to detect illegal immigrants but I still think your government will regret this in the long run as long as our economy remains on the comatose.
Namibians have no reason to flock to Botswana and Batswana have no need to leave their country en masse but Zimbos have every reason to flood Botswana.
One can only wish that other SADC leaders confront or engage Zimbabwe on issues that affect the growth of our economy instead of turning a blind eye on these topics that really matter.
I couldn’t agree more with one Paspaulin B who wrote on Twitter, “But before that (eliminating passports) they need to institute good policies, good governance and accountability for politicians. Development and industrialization of the region should be the centre focus…”
We have elections this year and, just like in the past, there is likely to be pre and post election violence, allegations of rigging and an uneven political field but you will never hear of regional leaders talking out against these ills.
Meanwhile, Zambia’s power utility is set to disconnect supply to Zim over non- payment of US$10.7 million (P141 million) debt for the months of February and March.
Our power utility company says it does not have enough foreign currency to pay the debt which is just a statement because truth is Zimbabwe has a lot of money which is just mismanaged.
Our parastatals always profess being broke when they have to pay debts or repair infrastructure but somehow always have money to buy top of the range vehicles for the bosses.
It is exactly the same in government: no money to do things that benefit the masses yet the President can fly across the world on a private jet that costs thousands of US dollars a day. Sometimes you just have to laugh (at least it’s free) or else you’d cry, cry, cry at the injustice of it all!
