Undocumented Zimbabweans living in Botswana will have their stay regularised soon, with President Duma Boko citing Zimbabwe’s skilled human resources as an asset Botswana can tap into.
Plans are already underway to establish details of Zimbabweans living in Botswana with at least 150 000 locals believed to be living in the country.
In an interview yesterday, Ambassador to Botswana Henry Mukonoweshuro said Zimbabwe welcomed Botswana’s commitment to registering undocumented Zimbabweans living in the country.
“We welcome the pronouncements by the new President Advocate Duma Boko, that his idea is to actually have a number of undocumented Zimbabweans being documented and regularised because it is better to have regularised people whom you can trace and trust and also who can actually now seek jobs.
“Because there is an acknowledgement by our hosts that our people are well-trained, well skilled and they have commitment, so this is a really positive trajectory that we welcome and we are willing to work with the authorities to ensure that we have some sort of special dispensation akin to the one that was given to our country in 2009 in South Africa. We are working out a similar format,” he said.
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Ambassador Mukonoweshuro said he was set to meet Botswana’s Minister of Immigration to action the pronouncement by President Boko.
“I am yet to meet the new Minister of Immigration and Human Rights as well as the Permanent Secretary in that office to try and actualise the words by the President,” he said.
Turning to consular services at the Zimbabwean Embassy in Gaborone, the Ambassador said they were serving a considerable number of Zimbabweans daily.
They will be coming for passport renewals, new passports, specific letters pertaining to permit renewals, and birth certificates among other services.
“On a good day especially towards holidays we serve upwards of 100 people a day, sometimes 150 especially when school children are on holiday.
“They are coming for different things like passport renewals, new passports, birth certificate applications and assistance for those that have deceased and those who want to extend their permits. Sometimes its a requirement that the embassy writes papers to authenticate documents,” he said.
Ambassador Mukonoweshuro said the Embassy was also in the process of compiling a list of Zimbabweans living in Botswana.
In a separate interview, Dr Brighton Hurombo, a Zimbabwean lecturing at the University of Botswana, said he was happy with consular services at the embassy.
“I am very happy with the services and quality of service being offered here. Today I had come to the Embassy to inquire about my driver’s licence and I was very much assisted. Now I will be travelling to Harare for the holidays with no problems,” he said.
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