Government to reclaim tourism assets ransacked during LRP

Government is meant to reclaim all tourism assets that were lost during the land reform programme, Tourism and Hospitality Minister, Walter Mzembi has said.

This surfaced on Monday during the handover of the 650 vehicles which government procured for tourism development and conservation under the Indian EXIMBANK.

Zimbabwe is known for its variety of resources which include wildlife, historical and natural sites such as the Victoria Falls and the Great Zimbabwe, which have been the foundation of a thriving tourist industry. However, since the land reform programme in 2000, tourism in Zimbabwe has steadily declined.

“During the land reform programme people  in certain parts of the country, erroneously acquired tourism assets using agriculture land title.

“My Mosi-Oa-Tunya Development Company is designed to claim back many of these assets that have gone moribund,” said minister Mzembi.

He also blamed the land reform for dilapidating some of the tourist resorts in the country.

“The reason why Kariba is dead is because much of the land in the area was grabbed yet it is entitled to tourism.

“We wish under the Mosi-Oa-Tunya Development Company to warehouse these assets and leverage them as we take the next step to develop tourism in the country.

Minister Mzembi said he is compelled to redesign the face of tourism in the country.

“I’m seized with serious work on tourism master planning which is basically capturing the whole country.

“We have three designated tourism development zones, the first one being the Gwai area into Hwange, Victoria falls, lower Zambezi and Kariba.

“It will be joined by the second corridor which includes the Mutirikwi, Gonerezhou , Limpopo leading into Beitbridge and the eastern highlands as the third zone,” revealed  minister Mzembi adding that all the development zones will warehoused under Mosi-Oa-Tunya Development Company.

Mosi-Oa-Tunya Development Company is solely owned by the government and its mandate is to drive the development of tourism as well as modernising resort towns.

Source: Government to reclaim tourism assets ransacked during LRP (14/10/2015)

 

Govt to Take Back Tourism-Related Land - Mzembi

GOVERNMENT has said the special purpose vehicle - Mosi-oa-Tunya Development Company - which was created by the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality would be used to re-possess land that was previously used for tourism purposes but had been re-distributed for agricultural use under the land reform programme.

Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi said the correction of land use would contribute to the development on the tourism sector.

Source: Govt to Take Back Tourism-Related Land - Mzembi (13/10/2015)

Hands off tourism assets: Mzembi

 TOURISM and Hospitality Minister Walter Mzembi says Matobo North legislator Never Khanye cannot take over Big Cave Camp in Matobo District as tourism assets cannot be acquired by default through offer letters. Khanye is embroiled in a land dispute with a white farmer Dave Waddy over Mhlahlandlele Farm which encompasses the tourism camp.

On Monday, the MP said Mzembi had no jurisdiction over the matter as he was in possession of an offer letter issued by the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement.

However, Mzembi told The Chronicle that although he could not comment much on the matter as it is now before the courts, offer letters cannot be used to take over tourism assets.

“The matter is now subjudice, that notwithstanding, we are trying to bring the two parties together to understand how the Tourism sector will enforce the Indigenisation and Empowerment Act. Tourism assets will not be acquired by default through offer letters, and the legislator seems to understand that now,” said Mzembi.

Khanye could not be reached immediately on the minister’s claim.

Waddy was served with an eviction order by the MP in December last year and he appealed to the tourism ministry and also took the matter to court.

In a final order granted on February 10, 2015, High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese said the land was owned by the white farmer.

Following the judgment, Khanye filed another application at the High Court and the matter is yet to be concluded.

Mzembi also wrote to Lands Minister Douglas Mombeshora pleading with him to reconsider the move to allocate the farm to the Zanu-PF legislator on the grounds that Big Cave camp is a thriving tourism concern.

“I note with dismay that the district lands officer of Matobo District proceeded to issue a notice to vacate to the current owners of Mhlahlandlele Farm where the Big Cave/lodge, a thriving tourism facility under my ministry, is located,” Mzembi wrote to Mombeshora.

“This is in spite of my averments to you Honourable Minister, in a letter of 16 December 2014 that the matter be considered and handled in a manner consistent with the current thrust of national policy on indigenisation and empowerment, which I quoted from the 2015 budget for your ease of reference.”

Mzembi said the matter should be reconsidered as it could severely undermine the sector going forward.

Source: Hands off tourism assets: Mzembi (08/05/2015)