Dear Editor

After spending 4 years in Namibia it was time to go back to my country Zimbabwe at the end of 2020.

I announced the news to friends .Some disapproved my decision to return home while others encouraged me.

Bearing in mind my benefits as far as paying customs duties for my car, furniture and groceries, i compiled all documents needed at the boarder so that i return home without any challenges with Zimra officials.

I arrived at the Victoria Falls Boarder at around 2pm and boarder officials were more than happy to serve me as a returning citizen.

In order for one to benefit customs free benefits on my car and other things in my possesion my passport had to be stamped as a returning resident by immigration officials. After this, Zimra would just have to award me free duty for my car and my other valuables.

The problem started with the immigration official who demanded “something” in order for her to stamp my passport with a Returning Resident Stamp despite the fact that my papers were in order.

Nothing was amiss. I qualified as a returning resident according to the law.

I was forced to comply and I gave her “something” and my passport was stamped RR.

I moved to Zimra. They were happy to serve me as well.

After processing almost everything, scrutinizing all my papers which were inorder, they demanded US$100 inorder for them to stamp my papers. I refused to pay that money.

From the time i refused to pay the money, they stopped working on my papers. I went and reported them to their boss. I told him that his subordinates were corruptly demanding money from me but the supervisor refused to listen. Infact, he defended his juniors.

I went and reported to the police officers at the boarder, but i was shocked that even the police wanted something from me!

I found out that every boarder official, immigration, zimra, health officials, security and police are used to getting something from returning residence at the Victoria Falls Boarder post.

I then decided to stage a one man protest. I made a lot of noise such that everything came to a stand still and finally my papers were processed. My car and property was then cleared.

At exactly 1200pm i left the boarder.

This marked a record 10 hours stuck at the boarder!

After the boarder experience i was welcomed by Hwange Police Station.T hey were not mounting a roadblock but they identified my car from the Station that it was a new car.

They demanded temporary registration plates which i had forgotten to get at the boarder. My car was impounded. I went back to Victoria to collect the temporary plates but when i came back with the plates i found them with a new offence, they refused to release my car.

Its obvious that they wanted “something” in order for them to release my car.

Thanks to the dispol who ordered them to release my car.

In Murehwa my car was impounded again despite the fact that the Road Traffic Act says i can drive my car with temporary plates for 14 days. They took my car saying i must have number plates or i must produce a receipt which shows that i have purchase number plates.

I left my car to buy the number plates in Harare. When i returned back with a receipt showing that i had purchased number plates, they claimed that my receipt was fake and refused with my car. I spent a night in Murehwa then the next morning the dispol ordered them to release my car.

There are no plates at CVR despite the fact that we are paying plates in USD and one wonders whats the problem there. The police keeps on terrorising motorists on the roads for number plates which we paid for and the government is failing to deliver.

This is the experience which you will meet as a returning resident.

Corruption is too much in Zimbabwe . Chihuri was better and i wonder why they removed him.

Etiwel Mutero