This archive report was first published on 15 August 2019.
Botswana is facing a significant challenge in addressing the influx of illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe, with the Zimbabwean government struggling to overcome a deep economic crisis.
According to authorities, the number of Zimbabweans arrested and deported in Botswana rose from 22,000 in 2015 to nearly 29,000 in 2018.
Prosper Kandanhamo and Thomas Gundani, two Zimbabwean nationals, left their homeland in search of better economic opportunities in Botswana. However, they found themselves among the many illegal immigrants lining the streets of Gaborone, looking for odd jobs.
"I came to Botswana because back home in Zimbabwe, there are no job opportunities," Kandanhamo said.
Despite frequent police raids, many Zimbabwean immigrants like Kandanhamo and Gundani continue to risk arrest rather than return to face hardship in Zimbabwe.
"It's better to be caught by the police," Kandanhamo said. "At the (police) cells, they will give you food and transport to the border. They deport you, and you find your way back (rather) than to go back to Zimbabwe."
Botswana spends approximately $100,000 annually deporting Zimbabwean illegal immigrants, but the influx persists due to the economic crisis in Zimbabwe.
"For so long as economic and other opportunities are not quite there, people are going to move, and you can't stop them from moving," said Gaborone-based analyst Lawrence Ookeditse.
Botswanan citizens like Moemedi Mokgachane demand a solution to the issue, citing the contribution of illegal immigrants to rising crime.
