Harare – Investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has raised concerns over the feasibility of a borderless Africa, citing economic disparities as a major barrier. His comments came after Brendon Zivuku asked on Facebook about the positions of Burkina Faso’s Ibrahim Traoré and South African politician Julius Malema on the issue.
Chin’ono said that while the concept of a borderless continent is appealing, it remains largely theoretical because African nations have not reached economic equilibrium. “If Zimbabwe were to embrace it today, neighbouring countries would need to have comparable economic indicators. Without that balance, we would see only one-way traffic of desperate citizens into countries that appear more functional,” he said.
He cited South Africa as an example, where migrants from across the continent move in large numbers, while few South Africans migrate elsewhere. “Pan-Africanism cannot exist in one country alone; it must be built on shared stability and economic prosperity across the continent,” Chin’ono said.
Chin’ono drew comparisons with Europe, where he often travels from France to Switzerland. “I drive from Switzerland to France without realising I have crossed a border, because there is no imbalance. There are no desperate citizens fleeing for jobs or survival. That balance makes the European Union possible,” he said, noting that even EU aspirants face delays due to corruption, weak institutions, and economic gaps.
He warned that removing borders in Africa while some countries cannot provide basic medicine or maintain industries would overwhelm stronger economies with economic refugees. “This is already the reality between Zimbabwe and South Africa, and between South Africa and other African nations,” he said.
Chin’ono stressed that a borderless Africa must be grounded in economic reform, governance, anti-corruption measures, and industrial development. “Only then can we dream of travelling from Harare to Kinshasa without a passport, just as one does from France to Germany today. Until then, open borders on a broken continent risk collapse,” he said.
He challenged the notion that Pan-Africanism can succeed in its current form, questioning how countries like Uganda or Zimbabwe could integrate with stronger economies such as Egypt and South Africa. “Ugandans will move to Egypt and Zimbabweans to South Africa without a reciprocal flow. That is not Pan-Africanism; that is poverty and dysfunction forcing migration,” he said.
Chin’ono concluded that calls for open borders without addressing economic and governance gaps are mere rhetoric. “I call it fashion Pan-Africanism; a slogan without substance, not rooted in practical realities,” he said.
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