Youth militia harassing travellers and stealing money at border posts

By Tererai Karimakwenda

1 August 2006

There is deep concern over the role of the youth militia squads that have been deployed at border posts by the government. Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono announced during his mid-term monetary review this week that the youth would be stationed at all border crossings to monitor the illegal movement of money. The RBZ chief said the youth would work along with the Zimbabwe Republic Police and immigration officials. But according to our Bulawayo correspondent Themba Nkosi travellers using the Beitbridge border post say the youth militia were deployed there weeks ago and have been harassing people and stealing money. Nkosi added that he has heard many complaints from people who say the youth extort money from illegal border jumpers.

Nkosi spoke to two travellers who crossed into Zimbabwe from South Africa 2 weeks ago. They told him that groups of youth militia in the notorious green uniforms that earned them the name “green bombers” were already stationed at Beitbridge at that time. They also remembered that most of the youth spoke Shona and did not understand any English or Ndebele. The pair allege that the youth were boisterous and were harassing people for no apparent reason. They were also searching cars and checking passports without any immigration officials present. Nkosi said this is how they get the opportunity to blackmail travellers and demand money for safe passage.

In the past the violent behaviour of the youth militia during elections and at public demonstrations and opposition rallies has caused much controversy. There is much documented evidence of their brutal activities yet very few, if any at all, have been prosecuted. Life in their youth camps has been reported to be grim. It has been alleged that there is very little food but plenty of alcohol and drugs provided by the government to keep them aggressive. Nkosi said it is feared that their new role at border posts created with the blessing of the RBZ chief Gono will spell doom for many travellers.

Nkosi reports that the new currency introduced by Gono this week has caused much confusion in Bulawayo. He said the bank tellers and shop owners do not understand it yet and the touts on minibuses are having great difficulty converting to the new standards.