POPULATION MOBILITY MAPPING MUTARE DISTRICT, ZIMBABWE JANUARY 2021 INTRODUCTION The lockdown restrictions in Zimbabwe The Forbes Border Post is the main due to COVID-19 has drastically reduced crossing point between Zimbabwe and the number of cross border movements. Mozambique. On the Mozambiquan side, On average, the numbers crossing through the border is located in Machipanda. This the Mutare main border post has dropped border post is mostly characterised with from 400 to 250 persons a day. As of 2 freight traffic from the port city of Beira in February 2021, Zimbabwe had 33,548 Mozambique; however, mobility trends confirmed cases of COVID-19, including are also characterized by cross border 26,794 recoveries and 1,254 deaths. As traders who frequent the town to Chimoio part of the response to the COVID-19 and Manica for basic goods such as food pandemic in Zimbabwe, the Ministry of and cheap second-hand clothing. Located Health in collaboration with its partners in 263 km to the East of the capital of health recognized a need to understand Zimbabwe, Forbes border post in Mutare the impact mobility within and across is one of the busiest borders in Zimbabwe. borders can potentially have on controlling the spread of the virus. To Mutare, which is the border city where the support these activities, the International Forbes border post is located, was founded Organization for Migration (IOM) is in 1897 as a fort, about 8 km from the working closely with the local government border with Mozambique, and is just 290 of Zimbabwe, Ministry of Health, and the km from the Mozambican port of Beira, Immigration Department to support the earning Mutare the title of "Zimbabwe's government of Zimbabwe and other key Gateway to the Sea". It is sometimes also partners with regards to understanding called "Gateway to the Eastern Highlands". migration flows, as well as to respond to Many Zimbabwean locals refer to it as the outbreak in a way that is sensitive to 'Kumakomoyo' (place of many current and emerging migration and mountains). Forbes Border Post is situated mobility realities in multiple regions in about 8 km from Mutare town east of Zimbabwe. Mutare and a getaway to the Beira corridor and is between Zimbabwe and IOM offering COVID-19 prevention services at Forbes PoE © IOM 2021 Mozambique, bordering the Machipanda for public health interventions in times border on the Mozambique side. of public health emergency. ▪ Recommend immediate public health Mapping in Mutare was to complement the interventions for the identified Government of Zimbabwe’s National prioritized congregation areas and Preparedness and Response plan for ports of entry. COVID-19 by providing the Government, ▪ Assess the feasibility of implementing communities, and humanitarian partners Flow Monitoring and recommend with information on population mobility locations of Flow Monitoring Points for and cross-border movements. Population the purpose of disease surveillance, Mobility Mapping (PMM) aims to inform interventions strengthening health public health interventions through the system along mobility corridors and analysis of the dynamics and provide information on cross border characteristics of population mobility. mobility trends to support Flow monitoring aims to derive Government’s evidence-based quantitative estimates of the flow of migration policy development. individuals through specific locations and to collect information about the profiles, A virtual Participatory Mapping Exercise intentions and needs of the people moving. (PME) was convened on the 21st of January More broadly, it aimed to enhance where key stakeholders from the Mutare prevention, detection, and response to the district committee were present. For this spread of infectious diseases through an exercise, key stakeholders were selected improved understanding of prevailing from the district and local councillors who human mobility patterns in Zimbabwe and oversee the community and responsible Plumtree Border districts. for day-to-day operations in the community. Participants represented the The specific objectives of this exercise formal and informal, health and non- were to: health sectors, including local authorities, community leaders. Local councillors also ▪ Identify the points of entry and assisted in mapping illegal entry points in congregation areas within Mutare and Mutare which will help in tracking at its borders with neighboring irregular and regular migrants. Key countries. stakeholders from government also ▪ Based on estimations on volume of participated in the one-day workshop to flows and other criteria, provide a list ensure that flow monitoring points are of specific points of entry and selected based with their experience in congregation areas that are prioritized dealing with migrants and flow of people. COVID-19 screening at Forbes border post © IOM 2021 IOM distributing menstrual hygiene kit to returnee migrants © IOM 2021 The mapping exercise was based on their President, IOM enumerators and local understanding of the nearby countries authorities took part in the workshop. The such as Mozambique, Malawi, DRC and connections between travellers and South Africa and local population stationary communities in the epicentre, movement dynamics in the country. main towns, along mobility pathways were examined. Points of interest were The meeting was conducted in two phases. allocated into three categories: Points of First, IOM gave an overview presentation Congregation of travellers (where internal of Population Mobility Mapping (PMM) mobility is experienced such as markets, and Flow Monitoring (FM) to participants. churches, universities, playgrounds), The second phase was on discussions on Points of Entry (PoEs) (border crossings); general cross border movements and and major travelling routes connecting regional migration routes in relation to these Points of Entries and the Points of Forbes as the entry/exit point, Congregations. These points were identification of points of entry and prioritized based on significant volume of identification of points of congregation. mobility and strong connections to areas The Mutare city health department gave reporting Covid-19 cases. A total of 3 an epidemiological update during the points were identified as Flow Monitoring session. Following an overview of flow Points (FMPs), of which 1 priority point monitoring, data collection, target areas, (the main border post) was selected for and risk of communication emphasizing immediate response actions and an IOM transmission of COVID 19 and other health tent had been pitched there for support in related issues, key informants were then terms of Covid-19 screening; surveillance, encouraged to relate the information hand washing, risk communication and shared with situations in their daily lives community engagement. and contribute their knowledge of their communities by identifying and locating Characteristics of population mobility PoEs, axes of mobility (routes) and Points (migration routes) of Congregation (PoCs), to identify places Long distance population flows were where travellers could interact with each identified from neighbouring countries other and/or the local community. Among (Mozambique) via Mutare to major towns the key points, participants selected such as Bulawayo, Gweru and Harare (the priority sites for the implementation of capital). High population mobility was public health measures and population noted through the following axes: mobility patterns and dynamics were then characterized. (1) Beira-Mutare-Harare (2) Bulawayo-Mutare- Beira FINDINGS A total of 23 participants (17 male, 6 female) drawn from the Mutare District Development Committee, Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT), Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Immigration, Ministry of Health, Office of During the online exercise, participants identified routes of mobility and mobility patterns observed in Mutare district. The information gathered from the key informants during the exercise include the main axes of mobility, the characteristics of this mobility and the main origin and destination of travellers. Mozambique to Botswana, Mozambique to Zimbabwe and Mozambique to Zambia are three key mobility routes identified. Axes of mobility IOM Staff utilizing hand washing station at Forbes PoE © IOM 2021 One main mobility route traversing Mutare was identified during the exercise: (2i) Beitbridge-Mutare-Beira (2ii) Beira–Mutare-Masvingo Route A3: The main route that connects Mozambique to Zimbabwe through the Mutare is an important transit point for Forbes official Border post. This route is long distance travellers, especially traders used by commercial vehicles, buses and to access neighbouring towns (Harare, pedestrians travelling to and from Masvingo, Bulawayo). Traders of Zimbabwe. This route connects to N6 in commercial goods, majority of whom Mozambique which passes through come from and reside in Manicaland, Manica and proceeds to Beira. On the Harare and Masvingo provinces transit to Zimbabwean side, the route proceeds to Mutare before heading to Chimoio or Harare on the A3. Truck drivers, small Beira, resulting in long distance movement traders and regular migrants from across multiple cities and towns with Zimbabwe and Mozambique are listed as interactions with migrants. the most common groups using the crossing point. The local routes pass The state of business in Mutare attracts through local towns such as Bulawayo and daily travellers coming from Harare, Gweru. Masvingo, Bulawayo and