18 November 2008
Thousands of desperate Zimbabweans are flocking to Manica and Chimoio to buy groceries, which are far cheaper than those found in supermarkets in Mutare and other cities across the country.
A survey carried out by this paper at Forbes Border Post last week showed that Zimbabweans had taken to crossing the border to shop for their groceries.
A visit to these towns last weekend revealed that Zimbabweans had swamped shops in Manica and Chimoio where basic commodities and canned beer were being loaded onto trucks.
Shops in Manica and Chimoio are working overtime and on many occasions are unable to cope with the demand created by Zimbabwean shoppers.
A cross-border trader, who is a teacher by profession, told The Standard in Manica: "I cannot survive on the little I am getting as a teacher. I will not go back to work if they (government) do not do something. It's far better to do what I am doing than to waste time in front of students."
Many teachers who have joined the cross-border trek see no hope in continuing to work as professional educators because of the pittance they are paid by the government.
Women, too, have joined in the trek. Gloria Machiwa said: "We never thought that Zimbabweans would end up going to Mozambique to buy groceries like we are doing. We hope that the negotiations between the political parties will come to fruition."
Machipanda is about 20km from the border, while Manica and Chimoio are 60km and 94km respectively.
Even young children have abandoned school and joined the great trek to Mozambique. Boys of school going age have exchanged their satchels to become porters, lugging consignments of commodities belonging to traders for a fee.
The Forbes Border Post is probably the busiest of entry points into the country.
Although no official comment was readily available from the Principal Immigration Officer in Mutare, a Mr Mukombero, sources in the department said an average of about 10 000 people were crossing the border weekly with 95% of them crossing to buy groceries.
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