Thursday, March 28, 2024

Why are Zambians asked to pay in US Dollars at the borders?

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The one stop border post in Chirundu

Zambian nationals driving into Zambia from neighbouring countries are being charged US Dollar Toll Fees. This practice has been going on for years. The arrangement is illogical and is being abused. We wonder where the Government is expecting Zambians to get US Dollars from each time the drive into Zambia.

Our understanding is that the Zambian Legal Tender is Kwacha. Why are citizens being forced to use foreign currency, we are not foreigners.
America will never force you to pay in Kwacha. An inquiry at Chirundu Border revealed that Government Officials are involved in the illegal Black Market Trade of US Dollars. When you go to the RATSA office, the cashier tells you that he is not allowed to receipt in Kwacha but US Dollars and he shows you where to go and change your Kwacha into US Dollars often at an exorbitant rate. The money changers take advantage because they know you have no way to confirm the rate and also the Bureau’s only open at certain times, so they will overcharge you.

The real story is that the same Government Officials are the ones selling/changing the money that’s why they direct innocent people to change Kwacha into US Dollars before they can accept it. We appreciate that the Zambian Government needs FOREX but not from its citizens,there are other ways to obtain the money.

Our appeal is that let the Government allows us to have choice of presenting either Kwacha or US Dollar unless the Kwacha is so fake that even the Government doesn’t want it any more.

Concerned Zambian Citizen

31 COMMENTS

  1. This is an injustice on citizens and tells a lot about how the government rates its currency. No wonder the exchange rate is always sliding downwards. And the officers with the excuse that they can not give a receipt other than in US$ are worse than robots! 

  2. Why are you wasting OUR time coming to tell us that? Go to anti-corruption commission or DEC! Here you post stuff that’s for debate only. That is not a case for debate, it is a police issue.

  3. @No 4,Thank you for showing your ignorance on this issue.The article is relevant.The problem has been an ongoing one and the govt oficials need to be exposed.They ask us to pay in dollars to use the ferry at kazungula and Botswana asks for pula on the other side.No logic!They dont have respect for the ZK.The Zambian side at Kazungula is as filthy as a deserted market place meanwhile lots of dollars are left there every minute.No toilets,no parking space no rest shelters and indeed the area is not even paved -come rainy season one would hate going home.We are tired of these thieves.

    • Sorry – I actually meant it as a joke but realised after posting that it may easily be misunderstood. Otherwise what you are saying is true!

    • Sorry – I actually meant it as a joke but I only realised after posting it that it might be misunderstood. I agree with what you are saying. Thanks.

  4. No wonder indians and soon chinese are succeeding with SMEs in Zambia. Fellow zambian are always f,,,kers that want to f a fellow zambian, especially when they lean you live or coming from abroad. they are very extortioner. no wonder our government leadership is full of criminals that have no shame to steal from its citizens. f..k!

  5. Yes why? some ZRA guy at the border only told me, boss it is a requirement and this accoount is a dollar account! what the f!!k.

  6. @ Sherlock Holmes- I like the name!
    Honestly, I think it’s time we stop voting on tribal lines, maybe HH is the man Zambia needs! I have said a lot of negatives abouts him but I think he does not talk recklessly!

    • HH is not the man Zambian needs at the moment,you are wrong,convince us why and how?in fact its HH’s tribe that votes on tribal lines,let me convince you.compare HH’s votes to other candidates in the last elections from his province as compared to the provinces of other candidates.You will see a discontinuous variation in HH’s province as compared to the provinces of the other candidates.Zambians doesn’t need highly educated rascals,we only need simple leaders who can control and make some decisions without fear.LET US JUST GIVE HIM THE SUPPORT AS HE IS SWEEPING.Let us compare what he as done in three months to what others did in 3,10 years etc,I feel he is better.YES HE IS NOT GOD things cannot be 100% but at the moment he is better than your president sir,thank you.

  7. No.9 I beg to differ with you, ZRA doesnt collect in dollars, only Immigration, RTSA, and other agencies collect in Dollars. Its worse at kasumbalesa where you spend over about a $1000 just to cross with the charges for crossing by the so called investor who has even built Congo border at no man’s land.

  8. Botswana only accepts Pula at its borders when you’re entering the country, where’s our pride in the Kwacha?

  9. all foreign vehicles r chargrd in dollarz weda u zambian or tswana n reciepts r given so i dnt c dat as a scam FOREX

  10. I agree with all of you goverment should look at this problem.Its’not the borders only and even airport tax is quoted in dollar what a shame to mother zambia for not being proud of its currency.

  11. Because the Kwacha smells badly, last time I touched it I threw it away and it was something close to K4million

    The major reason really is because I have pounds in my pockets and you have Kwacha, you have to deal with a more expanded vocabulary to mention your currency whilst I only talk of hundred and thousand,unlike million zillions ….just to buy an asset for oneself

    The strength of a currency is noted by its ability to have in use COINS , Zambia have never used coins in decades the last time a coin was used was like in the 60’s

    Terrible currency !

    Thanks

  12. #6 MUSA #11 SQAUTTY CHANDA – c’mon guys hold your fire. That posting was meant to build to a joke before stating the serious point of agreeing with the complainant. I pressed the button too early accidentally and my computer froze so I couldn’t retract in good time. My apologies to the author and all those offended by it, including the two of you. I will just be careful next time! I agree with everybody that this is a serious matter and to be honest I was actually irritated to read that this kind of thing is actually happening where we are exploiting each other in that sort of way.

  13. @20 Gokigo Milazhe
    Bravo to you! That’s that’s the way to go. Acknowledge your mistakes, correct them and move forward.
    @#6 MUSA & #11 SQAUTTY CHANDA – Shall we appoint him as an adviser to HE?

  14. #6 musa Nkutiz
    Good posting :) I don’t understand why zambians are charged for entering their country after a visit to neighbouring countries.. How much? I visited Zed in July .. I did not the $50 entry fee.. Instead I produced €50 the lady (customs officer) gave me my passport. When I asked her for the change, she told me that they don’t accept euros. At this point I asked her why she took my
    € 50? She returned my money and asked me to surrender my passport until the $50 is paid, I visit a nearby money exchanger .. And returned in for my passport.. Se on kamala.

  15. The Zambian border at Kazungula and Victoria falls look like Mogadishu in Somalia.Check the facilities even across Zimbabwe.It’s a shame.The deputy minister of Transport was in Kazungula to officiate the opening of the Botswana ferry.Wasn’t he embarrassed with the clean facilities on the Botswana side as compared to our ANCIENT INFRASTRUCTURE .
    The customs officers are very,very arrogant, very rude andfoolishly ignorant.You will spend15-20 minutes on the Botswana side and close to an 2-3 hrs on the Zambian side to be cleared..WHERE IS THE PRIDE AS A COUNTRY.

  16. Yes, I agree with 6 and the rest. The Zzambian side at Kazungula border post is dam stinky, bloody wet, matika tika especially in the rain season. It was so sad to drive our brand new car in such a state. We also paid in the same forex and i wonder why the Zambian Kwacha is no longer a legal tender?

    We are also Zambians, why is the government trying to get rich on fellow citizens because of the opportunities they have?

    No wonder, we are not trecking home for holidays this time not until we buy a truck or tractor which can contain the filthy and sticky roads and environment at the Zambian border side. Stop it Zambia to charge us in forex.

  17. What a shame for Zambia. Very good at collecting money but no evidence of where the money is spent as evident by the shanty bolder posts we have. No sense of pride from the politicians, they travel and see how our neighbours a stone throw away are organised yet come back home & do the opposite. Zimbabwe with its problems is still millions ahead of Zambia at its best of economic times. Very disappointing:(

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