By MAIMBOLWA MULIKELELA
in Nakonde –
ECONOMIC challenges have slowed down activities at Nakonde-Tunduma border post, resulting in quick clearance for those crossing to either side of the frontier.
The improvement in the value of the Kwacha is expected to stir economic activities back to life at the border.
A check at the one-stop border post yesterday found reduced queues of commercial goods and vehicles imported into Zambia being cleared by the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA).
Some volumes of informal trade in restricted and unrestricted goods, including pedestrian crossings, have, however, continued unabated.
A cross-border trader Mubanga Chama said business had been slow due to reduced economic activities, adding that there was need for authorities to reduce border crossing times.
“There is need for the Government to reduce further crossing time for commercial goods to cut down on smuggling because this border is so porous,” he said.
There is also an emerging influx of self-imposed bodyguards harassing cross-border traders because they want to serve as guides.
“We also face some harassment as we try to cross into Tanzania by some men who want to be bodyguards as we try to order our goods…they demand payments from us afterwards which is so unfair because it adds to the cost of doing business,” Mr Chama said.
There has been a growing number of individuals stationed around the border waiting for traders that are crossing to accompany them into Tanzania and later demand to be paid.
One of the ‘bodyguards’ indicated that there were no industries in Nakonde to employ them, but would rather escort people entering Tanzania to earn a living.
“We are not here to harass Zambians but to escort them into Tanzania and later carry their goods  at a fee and not everyone knows this place very well, we just try to guide them,” he said.
Nakonde border is the major link between Zambia and East African countries as well as Eastern Europe and the Middle-East.