Zimbabwe politics: Tourism Minister Dr.Walter Mzembi explains

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Zimbabwe known to have a  wealth of resources such as gold and platinum – was one of the most developed in Africa 20 years ago, with an envied infrastructure and education system.

According to Dr. Walter Mzembi, Minister of Tourism and Hospitalities, it’s just global speculation on Zimbabwe politics.  He thinks, the West is unable to read things and interpret accurately and has failed consistently in this area for 37 years.

As of now, Zimbabwe boasts of a 33-year tourist safety record, with no loss of tourist life due to conflict or insecurity, but according to an article published today in the Guardian newspaper today, a senior journalist in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe says: “The gloves are off. It’s a fight for survival and the rule book has been thrown out. The economy is in desperate trouble with a shortage of hard currency.”

However tourism works and it works well, safely and effectively, and there is a future also after Mugabe.

Most likely Zimbabwe President Mugabe will break the global record winning the upcoming General Elections at 95 years old for the umpteenth time! He is loved in the majority by his people.

The opposition is in the minority and in disarray. No civil conflict is on the horizon but political bickering across the parties divide, which is typical of transitional politics.

The people are content with him, because no clear successor among the touted lot has emerged, and it seems it will be him signalling his successor somehow in due time and this matter will be settled then. For

Zimbabwe’s Minister of Tourism Dr. Walter Mzembi told eTN: “One can be sure of, which is fact is that we are a very stable constitutional democracy with separate pillars of the State working independently but complementing each other in this viable State. ”

“We are more stable than any other country in sub-Saharan Africa, and are a responsible member of Southern African Development Community, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, Africa Union and if there are issues on Zimbabwe through the existing peer review processes media and the public will not miss reportage on them.

“On relations with Europe, the European Union revoked Article 96 in November 2014, giving the country a clean bill of health in trade and political relations.

“The Country maintains healthy diplomatic relations with all countries across the globe and has to date kept doors open with no single country in the world closing its diplomatic mission in Harare for political reasons.

“In fact, the clearest signal yet and most recent one that we are good for business and the world is here to stay is the announcement by the Trump Adminstration of the construction of its new $300million diplomatic compound.

“We have signed several trade agreements and specific business deals running into billions with several countries across the globe in the four pillars of Mining, Agriculture , Manufacturing and Tourism.

“In the latter, the outgoing UNWTO Secretary General Dr. Taleb Rifai should proudly associate with the 20th Session General Assembly of the Organisation which was successfully held in the Victoria Falls in August 2013 and proudly spawned the Victoria Falls Airport, as its legacy.

“Since then Zimtourism has recovered to a billion dollar economy , Victoria Falls occupancies improved significantly with 4-6 months advance bookings for all hotels in the destination. Several Airlines have signed up and Victoria Falls is now a very busy hub whose attractiveness has been enhanced by its designation as a tourism special economic zone .

“A multibillion memorandum of understanding on the development of mixed use theme park , several hotels, conferencing and shopping complex is in force with the Chinese. God smiled on Zimbabwe this season bringing abundant rains which will see for the first time in as many years a bumper maize crop exceeding 2 million metric tonnes.

“Zimbabwe has dealt with the contentious land question once and for all, and is now in the productivity stage.

“No other country in the region will escape dealing with this issue, it’s behind us hence the revocation of Article 96 by Europe. Anyone making reference to it today is opening a closed chapter.

“Finally one of the most recognisable exports of Zimbabwe apart from it’s minerals and tobacco, is it’s human capital and in the UN systems itself there are no less than a 100 Zimbabweans strutting their stuff in a diverse array of specialist and managerial and expert areas. ”

The last high profile attempt at a UN Agency by Dr Walter Mzembi, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, was not a gamble but a deployment by Africa after satisfying itself that it was seconding it’s best in the field.

His showing in the Executive Council elections for Secretay General on 12 May in Madrid was testimony to global confidence in the African choice.

 

About the author

Avatar of Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen Thomas Steinmetz has continuously worked in the travel and tourism industry since he was a teenager in Germany (1977).
He founded eTurboNews in 1999 as the first online newsletter for the global travel tourism industry.

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