Botswana’s newly elected president, Duma Boko, has announced his intent to offer temporary work and residence permits to undocumented Zimbabwean migrants, a move aimed at regularizing their status and addressing labor shortages in the country. Boko, who recently ended the 58-year rule of Botswana’s longstanding ruling party, outlined this policy as part of his broader economic revival plan.
“These migrants take on jobs that would otherwise remain vacant,” Boko stated on Friday, underscoring the vital roles Zimbabweans play in sectors such as domestic work and farming.
Botswana hosts the second-largest community of Zimbabweans outside of Zimbabwe, with many fleeing economic hardship and hyperinflation in their homeland. Despite the essential work they provide, Zimbabweans in Botswana often face daily deportations and resentment from local communities. This tension is fueled by the large numbers of Zimbabweans crossing the long, porous border between the two nations, often without documentation, which limits their access to basic services and forces many into illegal activities.
The president noted the challenges created by this influx. “When undocumented Zimbabweans come in, they face limited access to amenities and often live outside the law. This creates a negative perception and resentment among citizens,” Boko explained. By formalizing their status, he hopes to address these issues and reduce crime linked to irregular migration.
According to government data, Zimbabweans represent 98% of irregular migrants in Botswana. Between 2021 and 2023 alone, over 13,000 Zimbabwean nationals were documented as having entered the country irregularly, with police stations around the nation regularly organizing deportations for those found without valid documentation.
While Boko’s proposal may stir controversy in the diamond-rich southern African nation, he remains committed to finding a sustainable solution to this long-standing issue. Last year, a government proposal to allow Batswana and Zimbabweans to travel between the two countries using identity cards instead of passports sparked backlash, highlighting the complexities of migration policy in the region. However, Boko insists that an organized system for Zimbabwean migrants is crucial for Botswana’s economic future.
