Story by Tichaona Kurewa

ZIMBABWE’s target to build 220 000 housing units by 2025 is on course, with the Immigration Department’s Kazungula Border Post Housing Project nearing completion.

The Kazungula Housing Project will also help depopulate the City of Victoria Falls and cut logistical costs for the Immigration Department as officers are currently travelling more than 140 kilometres daily to work.

“Currently, brick work for the two structures has been completed except for beam filling. All window frames and sliding doors have been installed. Roof trusses for the two structures and most recently roof tiles have been put up. In percentage terms, the project is at 85 percent completion stage.

“What remains is beam filling interior works like floors, water and electricity connection as well as painting. The project must complete in the second quarter of 2023. Once it is completed, it will relieve officers from commuting from Victoria Falls to Kazungula which has become a daily routine as half of the staff complement currently resides in Victoria Falls,” said Innocent Hamandishe, the acting Regional Immigration Officer, North-Western Region.

For the Victoria Falls Combined Residents Association, the project will help increase efficiency at the border post.

“Victoria Falls has busy border posts, what it means is that we should not be found wanting. Having staff permanently residing at the border post is convenient and ensures that the border is manned by motivated personnel ready to offer five star services,” said Victoria Falls Combined Residents Association chairperson, Kelvin Moyo.

To further expedite housing delivery, Zimbabwe will this year send engineers and architects to Egypt to train in the adoption of modern technology in housing development.