Nexus between Border (In)Security and Economic Development in Binga District since 2000

Abstract

This chapter analyses the interplay between border (in)security and economic development in Binga District, Matabeleland North Province in the north-western part of Zimbabwe since 2000. The district is a border area along the Zimbabwean-Zambian border, mainly inhabited by the Tonga people. Challenges exist around border (in)security in the Binga District, and these are partly explained by the absence of a completely functional formal border in the district, as juxtaposed to the already functioning border post at Nemafulo on the Zambian side of the borderline. Smuggling, poaching, cattle rustling and border-related disputes regarding Lake Kariba and the lack of safe modes of transport for crossing the border are among the problems that act counterproductively in pursuing and attaining effective economic development for the district. Using interviews, ethnography and government records as sources, this chapter shows that effective border security is vital for enhanced economic development in Binga and Zimbabwe at large, therefore enriching the understanding of border experiences and practices in Africa.