THE Department of Immigration has adopted a multi-pronged strategy centred on manpower strengthening, internal restructuring and stakeholder coordination as it prepares to launch 24-hour operations at the Victoria Falls Border Post by year’s end. The expansion, which was legally enabled by General Notice 2265A of 2025, has triggered a comprehensive readiness plan designed to ensure seamless round-the-clock service delivery once the new operating times take effect. Responding to questions from Zimpapers, the Chief Immigration director, Ms Respect Gono, said the transition marks a critical defining moment for border management and requires full alignment among all players.
“The Department of Immigration has made significant progressive steps in aligning with the call for 24-hour operations at the Victoria Falls Border Post. Border operations require multi-stakeholder involvement and preparedness for 24-hour operations is critical,” she said. A key pillar of the department’s plan is a strategic human resource overhaul.
With the border set to operate without closing, additional personnel are required to sustain multiple shifts. Ms Gono said the Public Service Commission (PSC) had already been engaged to review manpower requirements and initiate the needed recruitment. To ensure there is no disruption from day one, the department has also implemented immediate internal interventions.
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“In the interim, the Department of Immigration has internally sourced staff from other borders and regions as a stopgap measure. The necessary shifts have already been formulated and supervisors have been appointed,” she said. These measures, Ms Gono added, ensure the border will be adequately staffed from the first night of extended operations.
“What was key is the gazetting of the notice, which has now been done. What is left is for all key stakeholders to mobilise the necessary resources,” said Ms Gono. She noted that the department enters this new operational phase from a position of strength, leveraging existing infrastructure.
“The new phenomenon is merely the extension of operating hours. The fundamental advantage is that all key infrastructure, such as clearing halls and road networks, is already in existence,” said Ms Gono.
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