LIVINGSTONE WAY, the vital road linking Victoria Falls City to the neighbouring Zambian border across the majestic Zambezi River, is a busy thoroughfare. Scores of people cross this route, either on foot or bicycles, going about their daily routines.
The majority of the travelers are Zambian hawkers, bearing heavy loads of merchandise on their backs or bicycle carriers, as they stream into Victoria Falls to engage in commerce. Each day, hundreds of Zambians cross the Victoria Falls border, armed with temporary pass documents, to offer a diverse array of goods for sale. Their wares span from fresh farm produce and mealie meal to second-hand clothing, shoes, detergents, traditional attire, and more.
Once they arrive, they line the streets of Victoria Falls, conducting their business both on the sidewalks and in front of local shops. Some hawkers even navigate the surrounding suburbs to reach potential customers. However, this influx of foreign traders has raised concerns among local informal traders who fear losing their business to these newcomers.
Fresh from the harmonised elections on August 23, the Zambian hawkers have found the peaceful environment in Victoria Falls conducive to their trade. This contrasts with attempts by Dr Nevers Mumba, the head of the Sadc Electoral Observer Mission (SEOM) and an appointee of Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, to paint the recent elections as a violation of regional protocols.
Zambian hawkers have praised the peaceful atmosphere in Zimbabwe and expressed their intent to continue interacting with locals in Victoria Falls. Despite occasional encounters with municipal police, they affirm their belief in the political stability of the country.
“We only stopped crossing on the day of the election because we were instructed at the border to wait until elections are over. When results were announced and Zanu-PF won, we started crossing the border again. We always feel safe here, yes we sometime shave problems with the municipal police but we know that politically this is a peaceful country,” said Ms Faith Nganga.
She was in the company of her younger sister, Ms MClean Nganga and both sell clothes and shoes.
An elderly woman, Ms. Alice Mweeta, shared her extensive experience crossing the border to sell in Victoria Falls, highlighting the peaceful coexistence between the two nations.
“Zimbabwe is peaceful. We have been coming here and we feel like we are at home. Nothing separates us besides the river and border that was drawn by colonialists and so we cannot think of anything that can stop us from coming to Victoria Falls now,” she said.
Mr James Mwinde, a Zambian who cycles daily to sell mealie meal in Victoria Falls, revealed the deep connections between Victoria Falls and Livingstone. The border towns share not only a strategic location for tourism but also commonalities in language, culture, and more.
“This makes us one and we also enjoy the political environment here as we sell our goods,” said Mr Mwinde. – The Chronicle
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