Zimparks in tribalism and nepotism storm

Mthwakazi Republic Party has said it is concerned and disappointed by the Zimbabwe National Parks and wildlife Authority's conduct in regard to their employment policy.

 Mthwakazi Republic Party said it is reliable informed that just last week the authority's management recruited 120 people for a three month training in Hwange, that will subsequently get them employed.

"The authority's bosses only employ Shona relatives at the expense of the local Ndebele people.  A lot of our people in the whole of Matabeleland had applied for the same jobs with the required results but were not considered or ever called for an interview. At Matopo National parks in Matabeleland South there are more than 800 hundred workers there but non-locals.  Mqondisi Moyo the Party's Member of Parliament's candidate for Matobo North yesterday met the disgruntled Youths who declared that they were ready to defend their jobs and their territories against Shona invasion in Matabeleland and Midlands," said the party.

"As a party we are seriously against this provocation that is being done by the Mugabe regime, we will not allow the government to continue side-lining our people treating us as second class citizens, in our own forefathers land. We have noticed that it has become an unwritten law that the government only employs Shona people for all vacancies from the office orderly to directors it is all according to the 1979 Shona grand plan, that says only Shona people must be employed."

The party said recently another government department Zimra to be precise published vacancy notice asking for drivers to work in Matabeleland North yet the applications are addressed to Harare, which is very clear to them  that their people are just wasting time applying since workers will come from Harare.

"We are all aware that 95% of Zimra workers are Shona speaking and all the doubting Thomases can go and prove that at Mhlahlandlela Zimra offices and Customs Duty offices near  Main Post Office in Bulawayo CBD as well as at the border places like Beitbridge, Plumtree, Victoria Falls and other borders like Maitengwe,Matsiloje, Kazungula and the new one in Thuli in Gwanda," said the party.
"Hardly will you find Sothos, Vendas, Kalangas, Nambyas, Xhosas,Jahundas, Chewas,Tongas and among other tribes in these border posts only shonas including the sweepers.Further investigations into the wild life authority saga reveal that the only people who were employed were related to the bosses and to ZANU PF, which is the major reason why this country has been destroyed. Unqualified people are getting jobs ahead of qualified people simple because they are connected to either the system or Shona tribe."

MRP said they condemn this act of tribalism and nepotism by the ZANU PF satanic government.

"We would like to encourage our people to register and VOTE Team MRP in the next coming election period so that we are able to be in charge of our own resources and our future. A situation where there are no Ndebeles,  Khalanga or Venda people at the National parks and wildlife is a clear sign of provocation and Satanism," said the party.

 "MRP President has declared that if the Matopo National parks will continue doing as they are doing now it will rather be closed down. In Matopo more than 80 people tendered their CVs and 20 were called for interviews, out of 20 only 2 were taken. Only two from Matopo were taken, of those  80 there was only 1 from Slozwi and two from Lushumbe.  Honorable Cde Mqondisi Moyo vowed to fight for the locals from Matobo North and South specifically places like Mahlabathini, Gulathi, Njelele, Mabhulawuni, Chap, White waters, Bhazha, Fumugwe, Mazhayimbe, SunyetSen.,Gohole, Nathisa, Maphisa, Ratanyana, Bhalagwe, Tshelanyemba, Nhlapho, Khezi and other nearby places which constitute Matobo  North and South."

 MRP said this madness by these Shona supremists has gone for so long unchecked and the time is now.

"We are a generation that will not sit back and watch while our tormentors continue to capture us, we don't want to be cursed by the forthcoming generations on our graves, they will spit on our graves if we continue like this," said the party.

Source: Zimparks in tribalism and nepotism storm (30/10/17)

'100 tourists robbed in Victoria Falls hotels'

ABOUT 100 tourists have been robbed while booked at hotels in Victoria Falls in the last four months.

Chegutu West legislator Dexter Nduna said this in Parliament on Thursday and called on the Government to strengthen security in resort areas to protect tourists who bring highly sought after foreign currency in the country.

Nduna urged the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Development to look into issues of security for tourists, especially in Victoria Falls where about 100 robberies have been recorded in the last four months.

"The Committee on Transport and Infrastructure has done quite well resulting in infrastructure development at Victoria Falls Airport which has seen a rise in tourists arrivals in the resort town.

"Be that as it may, what has now occurred in the past four months is that about 100 tourists were robbed while booked in hotels in Victoria Falls. If this is not attended to, it will have a negative effect on the efforts done in infrastructure development," said Nduna.

He said it was important for the relevant authorities to prioritise strengthening of security in Victoria Falls and other resort towns.

"This is why I stand to ask that relevant authorities look at this scourge that is about to reverse the gains that the Committee on Transport and Infrastructure has brought to this country," said Nduna.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mabel Chinomona urged Nduna to bring up the issue as a motion.

Tourist arrivals to Victoria Falls increased by 21 percent in the first six months of this year following the expansion of the airport which can now take 1.5 million visitors a year.

Eight airlines now fly into Victoria Falls after Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and South Africa's Airlink started flying into the resort town, joining British Airways, Air Zimbabwe, South African Airways, Fastjet and Air Namibia.

In its latest report, hospitality group, Africa Albida Tourism said the resort town had recorded a 32 percent increase in international visitors to 84 249 between January and June this year from 63 016 during the comparable period last year.


Source: '100 tourists robbed in Victoria Falls hotels' (23/10/17)

Shearwater to build $5m Vic Falls lodge

 SHEARWATER tour and adventure company says they are planning to build a $5 million one-stop different designs hotel and game reserve with a capacity of accommodating in excess of 2 000 guests in Victoria Falls.

The company’s spokesperson Clement Mukwasi said construction of the lodge, to begin in the next three months, was in response to the government’s request for more accommodation facilities to cater for the increasing number of tourists in the resort town.

Shearwater recently built the $1,2 million Victoria Falls Explorers’ Village, a 150-bed lodge opened earlier this year.

Mukwasi said all the paperwork and plans have been put in place and the multi-faceted hotel facility will be located in the 3 000-hectare park, along the Victoria Falls International Airport Road.

“We have since applied to the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) because the construction of a lodge, according to the Environmental Management Act, is subject to environmental impact assessment. In two months, EMA would have given us direction as to how to go about the construction of the lodge. Our architects have done all the planning as well, so we are ready to kick off,” he said.

Mukwasi said Shearwater group will soon meet the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to seek clearance to have some wild animals kept at the lodge.

“We will be doing the construction in phases and the target is to finish by 2021. The 3 000 hectares of land given to us is big enough for us to construct as many rooms of different designs as we can. The place will not only be for accommodation, but we will also look for wild animals to be fed in the game park where our guests interact with different types of animals that are not common in the region. We will approach ZimParks for that so that we boost our game.”

Victoria Falls has about eight hotels and 45 lodges with a combined capacity of plus or minus 3 800 beds. Tourism drivers have revealed that tourism industry in Victoria Falls is booming due to the upgrading of the Victoria Falls International Airport and last month’s hotel occupancy stood at 70%.

Source: Shearwater to build $5m Vic Falls lodge (12/10/17)

Zim engages Zambia on one border post

ZIMBABWE is engaging Zambia to establish the One Stop Border Post (OSBP) at Victoria Falls Border, with Bilateral Agreement and procedures manual being finalised.

Industry and Commerce permanent secretary Abigail Shoniwa told the OBSP awareness workshop yesterday that the initiatives were being spearheaded by the Border Efficiency Management Systems (BEMS) technical Committee.

“I am delighted to inform you that the Border Efficiency Management Systems Technical Committee to date, has initiated engagements with Zambia towards the establishment of a OSBP at Victoria Falls Border and the proposed Bilateral Agreement and procedures manual are being finalised,” she said in a speech read on her behalf.

This comes after the just-ended Zimbabwe South Africa Bi-National Commission saw the two heads of States stressing the need to prioritise the implementation of a One Stop Border Post at Beitbridge.

“We have to move with speed to meet the aspirations of our leaders and business at large. It is, therefore, imperative that we continue to work as a team under the BEMS committee banner. The spirit of cooperation is important for the good of our country as a whole,” Shonhiwa added.

African Development Bank and International Organisation of Migration are providing the financial and technical support for the establishment of OSBP.

Other points of entry earmarked for the OSBP are Plumtree, Beitbridge, Forbes and Nyamapanda.

The purpose of OBSP is to reduce the number of stays incurred in cross border travel transactions by combining the activities of both countries border control agencies of single location in each director of travel.

OSBP trade facilitation and transport logistics legal expert, Francis Chirimuuta said the concept of an OSBP reduces the number of stops from the traditional two stops at a border to controls that are undertaken from one single control zone.

“In establishing one stop border stop you obviously need to take into account the critical elements of a one stop border post, firstly you will need a custom-build facility whereby you achieve seamless flow for users and agency officers also then need border management network whereby your ICT and data sharing is established between the agencies of one country and those of another country,” he said.

One of the key payoffs of a one stop border post is that it reduces times spend crossing the border which consequently reduce the cost of trade.

In Chirundu, commercial traffic reduced from time of over 120 hours in 2009 to about 25 hours by 2012 which had a ripple impact in that the cost of crossing the border was reduced.

Source: Zim engages Zambia on one border post (10/10/17)

Zimbabwe, Zambia challenged on Victoria Falls

Zimbabwe and Zambia should jointly market Victoria Falls instead of competing as this would bring more tourists to the world wonder.

Branding and reputation expert Thebe Ikalafeng said it was beneficial to the two countries to complement each other.

“They need to understand that the two countries offer something different,” he said.

“The fact that Victoria Falls sits in the middle of both countries and the fact that at different seasons, one country has got different flow of water should not be a basis to compete.

“The basis to compete should be ‘come to Zimbabwe and experience Victoria Falls from this end and see what you do differently.’

“Then go to Zambia and in addition to Victoria Falls, you can do this part.

“But the activities that are linked to Victoria Falls from the Zambian side should be different from the activities that are linked from the Zimbabwean side.

“This is how you find the difference. Don’t make the difference based on the water flow.”

The falls are jointly owned by Zimbabwe and Zambia and the two countries have been intensifying efforts to lure more tourists.

South Africa has also entered the fray, telling tourists to visit South Africa first to view the Victoria Falls, causing consternation in Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Ikalafeng said Zimbabwe and Zambia should be delighted because “it means South Africa is moving the tourists from South Africa to Zimbabwe or Zambia”.

“So, to me, that is positive because it speaks to the idea that Africa needs to work together,” he said.

“We need to understand the different properties, concepts that every country has and how we can move tourism around the continent.”

Victoria Falls is Zimbabwe’s prime tourist resort.

The government wants to derive more benefits and wants to build a “Disneyland in Africa” in the resort at a cost of over $400 million.

Victoria Falls International Airport was upgraded at a cost of $150 million to accommodate wide-bodied aircrafts in the mould of B747, B777 and Airbus, A340 or equivalent.

This upgrade has lured other airlines.

In March, South African Airway became the first airline to fly a wide-bodied aircraft into Victoria Falls after deploying an A330-200 to the resort town.

In March, Ethiopian Airlines introduced four weekly flights to Victoria Falls.

In May Kenyan Airways introduced three weekly flights to the resort town and Airlink began a six day service per week to Victoria Falls from Cape Town in July.

Source: Zimbabwe, Zambia challenged on Victoria Falls (3/10/17)