The
Nakonde border crossing in Zambia’s Muchinga province is open again after a 78-hour
closure following violence that erupted at the border town of Tunduma in
Tanzania.
Nakonde
District Commissioner James Singoyi said authorities on both sides of the
border are now operating normally; however, security on both sides of the
border is still very tight with armed police officers deployed in the area.
The District
Commissioner said Zambia’s Revenue Authority and other collection agencies at
the border lost millions of kwacha over the last few days as a result of the
violence in Tanzania.
No gunshots
have been heard from Tunduma today, a sign that the situation is stabilizing.
The
border closure started Tuesday following clashes between supporters of the
Tanzanian political parties Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) and the opposition Chama
cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA) over a disputed piece of land, where each
party wanted to construct its own hospital.