By Admore Mbonda in Kariba
From the shoreline, Lake Kariba does not look like a border it looks like movement.
Boats slide across the water carrying fishermen, traders, and families who have long treated the lake as home on both sides of the frontier.
This Wednesday, as Zambia and Zimbabwe joined regional partners to mark the 15th Africa Border Day, organisers argued that the most important story at Kariba is not separation, but how communities manage the space between them so that everyday crossings become safer, fairer, and less confrontational.
At a lakeside gathering, an official from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Kariba offers a rare opportunity to tell the border story differently one grounded in shared water and shared solutions.
The official described the lake as a place where “two nations, two peoples, and a shared natural resource come together every day in the spirit of cooperation.”
But the event was not only celebratory. It also spoke plainly about what happens when borders are unclear to those who live near them.
The IOM representative warned that confusion can lead people to cross unintentionally into another country’s territory—sometimes with serious consequences, including detentions, seized equipment, and renewed tension between communities.
That is why, alongside the commemoration, work is underway to reduce navigational risk.
The celebrations coincided with the installation of floating buoys along the Zimbabwe Zambia boundary on the lake markers intended to guide fishermen, tour operators, and border-area communities.
Positioned roughly one kilometre apart, the first 10km stretch** runs from the Kariba Dam wall to the Sampa Karuma group of islands.
Officials were careful to clarify what the buoys are and what they are not. They do not alter fishing rights, change island ownership, or modify immigration laws.
Instead, they function as visual aids** designed to help prevent accidental crossings and reduce friction triggered by misunderstanding.
The IOM used the moment to commend institutions and partners supporting the initiative, including the governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe, the African Union Border Programme, the German Agency for International Cooperation, and local authorities.
The day also highlighted progress in governance: Zambia and Zimbabwe have reportedly agreed on standard operating procedures to handle accidental or illegal crossings with fairness and consistency.
For regional leaders, the lake is a practical example of how borders can work when they are backed by institutions. Zambezi River Authority chief executive Munyaradzi Munodawafa described Lake Kariba as a “very powerful symbol” of what African countries can achieve through cooperation.
He noted that the event could not be held directly at the dam wall due to refurbishment works, but emphasised that the lake remains central to broader continental priorities, including Agenda 2063.
“Water is central to human dignity, public health, food security, energy production, climate resilience, and economic transformation,” Munodawafa said, adding that many of Africa’s most important water resources cross national boundaries—meaning their sustainable management cannot be delivered by one country alone.
He argued the border lesson is simple: boundaries should not merely separate states. When they are clearly defined, peacefully administered, and supported by strong systems, borders become bridges bridges for trade, human interaction, shared prosperity, and sustainable development.
A SADC representative echoed that view, saying borders should be understood not as walls dividing people, but as connections linking communities.
The bloc pointed to efforts under its framework for coordinated border management covering legal frameworks, inter-agency cooperation, and anti-corruption measures and cited operational examples at other border points, including Victoria Falls and Chirundu.
Progress beyond the immediate Kariba boundary also featured in the discussion, with delegates receiving updates on the 2,140km DRC–Zambia border**, where dialogue, reaffirmation, and demarcation efforts continue.
In Kariba, then, the 15th Africa Border Day is not just a commemoration of lines drawn in the past. It is a present-day attempt to turn those lines into guidance for the future so that, on the lake where people already share livelihoods, the journey across the water remains a route toward peace rather than a trigger for conflict.
About Author
