Business as usual at Chirundu border
By BUUMBA CHIMBULU BUSINESS at the Chirundu One Stop Border Post (OSBP) has continued trading normally despite the on-going “confusions” in the neighbouring country, Zimbabwe which Zambia shares the trading space with.
This development has assured traders crossing the border post
of continued flow of business operations.
Recent reports indicate that Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, has negotiated for his wife, Grace to leave the country while he prepares to step down.
A spot check at the Border Post yesterday indicated that all business operations were normal and traders were trading using their normal routines.
Truck drivers from Zimbabwe who were transporting goods to Lusaka said they had not experienced any abnormal business disruption at the Border post.
One driver from Zimbabwe who was transporting urea fertilizer to Lusaka and sought anonymity said there was calm both at the Border post and in Harare.
He, however, mentioned that some businesses were not operational in the Central business district area of Harare.
“There is presence of the military police on most of the roads and in the Central business area in Harare. But there is calm there, the military are only there to make sure that there is peace,” the driver said.
And in a separate interview, another truck driver from Zimbabwe emphasised that the military police were only present to ensure that the “bad” people did not cause confusion in the country.
The driver, who was found clearing his goods at the Border post, further said only the “bad guys” had gone in hiding fearing to be caught.
“We are not under any threat. They are just seeing who wants to cause noise. You cannot see them (military police) but business is normal everyday,
“Whenever things are happening, there are others who take advantage. You see there are those people doing bad things. Those people in Zimbabwe are doing business everyday, nothing has changed. Even vendors are doing their business. It is only big fish who have gone missing,” he said.