Botswana’s New President Advocates Legalizing Undocumented Zimbabweans

Botswana’s recently elected president has informed the BBC of his intention to legalize undocumented Zimbabweans by granting them temporary work and residence permits. Duma Boko stated to the BBC Africa Daily podcast, prior to his historic inauguration on Friday, that “They do jobs that would otherwise not get done.” Botswana is home to the world’s second-largest population of Zimbabweans, who have left their nation due to economic difficulties. This community frequently faces resentment, and daily deportations occur. This policy decision is anticipated to be unpopular within the diamond-rich southern African country. However, Boko, 54, who recently ended the 58-year rule of the incumbent party, indicated that this measure is integral to his strategy for economic revitalization. President Boko described the entry of thousands of Zimbabweans into Botswana via the extensive and permeable border shared by the two nations as a significant challenge. He elaborated, stating, “They come in and are undocumented. Then their access to amenities is limited, if it is available at all, and what they then do is they live outside the law and they commit crimes – and this brings resentment.” He concluded, “So what we need to do is to formalise, have a proper arrangement that recognises that people from Zimbabwe are already here.” The precise number of Zimbabweans residing in Botswana remains uncertain, though thousands have migrated between the countries since Zimbabwe’s economy collapsed due to hyperinflation two decades prior. Additionally, some have sought political asylum. Available data indicates that Zimbabweans constitute 98% of individuals classified as “irregular migrants.” In response to a parliamentary inquiry earlier this year, a minister reported that between 2021 and 2023, out of 13,489 recorded irregular migrants, 13,189 were Zimbabwean citizens. Daily, police stations nationwide arrange for the deportation of Zimbabweans apprehended for lacking proper documentation or for alleged involvement in criminal activities. These individuals commonly engage in low-wage labor, frequently as domestic or farm workers. Boko commented, “A lot of these workers from Zimbabwe perform tasks that the citizen finds unattractive… they do jobs that would otherwise not get done and so there’s no conflict there.” Nevertheless, the government faced public opposition late last year following a proposal to permit the use of identity cards instead of passports for travel between Botswana and Zimbabwe. The prevailing opinion was that this measure would result in an increased influx of Zimbabweans. Conversely, President Boko informed the BBC Africa Daily podcast that his proposed initiative would also offer an opportunity for Batswana citizens to acquire fundamental skills, such as welding and plumbing, from Zimbabweans. He elaborated, stating, “In any and every construction site in Botswana the majority of people with those skills are from Zimbabwe, so we need to do a twin programme of allowing them to come in and we utilise the skills that they have and in the process of utilising these skills we also engage in some sort of skills transfer.” He further added, “We can’t stop people with skills from coming in when we don’t have the skills ourselves – we need to develop these skills and it takes time, so in the interregnum we need to have them come in properly, come in legally and be rewarded appropriately for the skills that they bring.” Boko, a human rights lawyer and founder of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) party in 2012, is actively striving to present himself as a leader connected to the populace, even encouraging his associates to take selfies. He asserts that his goal is to dismantle obstacles and “make sure everybody has easy access, not just access to come close, but also bring ideas and suggestions.” His primary objective, and a key factor in his electoral success, is his pledge to enhance the economy. He indicated that one of his initial actions would involve finalizing a new agreement with the international diamond corporation, De Beers. Boko holds the view that the agreement was at risk due to his predecessor’s management of negotiations concerning diamond sales. Boko conveyed to the BBC Africa Daily podcast that with guaranteed diamond revenues, investor confidence in Botswana would increase, thereby attracting capital into the nation. This, he stated, would support his aspiration to generate 100,000 jobs annually over the forthcoming five years. He declared, “We are facing a crisis of unemployment – for a population that’s 2.4 million when you have almost 30% of those people unemployed, it is a crisis. It’s a ticking time bomb.” In conjunction with his suggestion for skill-sharing facilitated by Zimbabweans, the new president further expressed his desire for young people to participate in business “to become entrepreneurs, employ themselves and employ others.” Boko affirmed, “What they need from government is access to affordable finance and access to markets, and government should facilitate these.” His inauguration is scheduled to occur at the national stadium in the capital, Gaborone, on Friday, a day designated as a public holiday, with international dignitaries anticipated to be present. Innocent Selatlhwa in Gaborone provided additional reporting. Further news from the African continent can be found at BBCAfrica.com. Follow updates on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa, or on Instagram at bbcafrica. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. 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