Kazungula Bridge Authority takes shape
Mompati Tlhankane - Mbongeni Mguni | Monday January 29, 2024 06:00
The development, announced on Wednesday, comes as border crossers, truckers in particular, have complained that while processes at the Botswana side are generally smooth, the Zambian side is beset with numerous delays.
Hichilema was in Botswana this week on a two-day working visit where the two presidents toured the Bridge. Masisi and Hichilema discussed the future of the Kazungula Bridge, the linkage seen as critical in connecting north and south SADC as well as broader continental trade.
Responding to Mmegi’s enquiries during a press briefing, Masisi disclosed that the two leaders were able to finalise a major decision concerning the Kazungula Bridge Authority as both presidents had long wanted to meet and discuss the modalities of running the Bridge.
Masisi revealed that the headquarters of the Authority will be in Botswana while the CEO will be a Zambian national.
He explained that facilitated by responsible ministers from both countries, the Authority will proceed speedily to complete all other outstanding issues required for it to operate. The Authority will establish itself as a legal entity to ensure that it functions properly in terms of budget, payments and procedures among others, Masisi said.
“The Authority has also been tasked with, as speedily as possible, ensuring that access roads to the Bridge are widened and made convenient,” he told Mmegi. “They will enhance inputs and efficiency with ICT and technology. “We are looking at efficiency with respect to time spent and time to clear. “We are also looking at efficiency in terms of enhanced security with the help of technology.”
Efficiencies are a key concern for both regional and intra-African trade and while the Kazungula Bridge is a significant step-up from the pontoon that used to transport travellers, it has also been dogged by complaints around service.
While built as a one-stop crossing, disparities between the countries have meant that travellers, particularly truckers, face different numbers of processes and delays. Truckers have reported that while the Botswana side is generally seamless with consolidated checks and payments, the Zambian side involves numerous disparate processes that result in visitors moving from one queue to the other.
However, the Zambian government recently vowed to tighten its bureaucracy at the border, with a pledge to reduce the number of operating agencies at the border from 15 to six. The move is designed to improve the efficiency of clearing passengers and cargo.
Masisi told Mmegi the planned Authority was being charged with distinguishing the Bridge as the best in Africa and one that can compete globally in terms of efficiency and return on investment.
“We expect the Bridge to be the facility of choice for industry and passengers. “We expect to have consolidated everything into a framework of cooperation by the time we sign (for the Agency) two months from now in Livingstone,” he said.
Prior to its launch in 2021, the Kazungula Bridge had been a long held dream in the region, which was only realised when Botswana and Zambia began cooperating towards its construction. The 923-metre long Bridge was officially launched in 2021 having been built at a cost of $260 million.
Meanwhile, Masisi denied reports that there was a call from beyond the region to change the name of the Bridge to the Trans-Zambezi Bridge. The president said there had never been any appetite to change the Bridge’s name and no such idea was being entertained.