NEWSLINE

“Some years back, we used to avoid using the Mwami-Mchinji Border Post from either Malawi or Zambia but rather cross the border informally by using Zalewa route because of the long clearing process involved at the border,” Florida Lungu, a Zambian based cross border trader recalled, saying this used to pose serious challenges to her and her fellow cross border traders. “Whenever we used the Zalewa route we could loss our goods because authorities from Either Malawi or Zambia could pounce on us and confiscate them.” Mrs. Lungu who has been in this business for more than 3 decades further recollected that “We could take about 9 to 10 hours just to be cleared at the border, this was really a setback on our side and it is such barriers that made us ,avoid formal routes. Another trader, Jane Zimba complained that due to high export and import duties, it is usually difficult for her to realize profits and eventually expand her business.   On the other side of the border, the challen