BY MTHANDAZO NYONI

TOURIST arrivals from India increased by 79% to 12 465 last year, prompting the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) to scale up its destination awareness campaigns and visibility on the Asian market.

In 2017, tourist arrivals from that country stood at 6 960.

As part of its effort to grow this emerging tourism market, ZTA — will for the first time — exhibit at the 27th edition of the South Asia Travel and Tourism Exchange (Satte) in New Delhi, India, starting from tomorrow until Friday.

Satte is one of the leading business to business platforms which bring together global travel and tourism players, focused on tourism business exchange.

“As a country bestowed with rich cultural heritage, destination Zimbabwe is strengthening its tourism business and entering emerging markets. The potential is huge and our main thrust is to continue intensifying our marketing efforts in this market in particular,” ZTA acting chief executive, Givemore Chidzidzi said in a statement.

Chidzidzi said this year the organisation was focusing on nurturing and growing new and emerging tourism markets.

“There is need for us to mark our presence in the Indian market. We will have to be actively increasing our marketing activities there. To kickstart this process, we will be participating at the Satte 2020,” he said.

“The fair will provide a platform for the country’s tourism industry players to establish new business partners and strengthen relations with key partners and stakeholders from the Indian market and beyond.”

As part of their plan to solidify their presence in the Indian market, Chidzidzi said they will do follow-up roadshows later in the year.

India is part of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (Brics) family, hence it has emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies and dependable tourism markets globally.

Zimbabwe recently upgraded the Asian nation to category B on its visa regime. This means Indian travellers can apply online and obtain visa at ports of entry.

BY Richard Muponde

GOVERNMENT yesterday said President Emmerson Mnangagwa would not apologise over the alleged “insensitive and tasteless jokes” he made during a clean-up campaign in Harare’s Kuwadzana high-density suburb on Friday.

Mnangagwa torched a storm last week after he jokingly said he would not hesitate to deploy the army to beat up the suburb’s residents for causing the prolonged dry spell and also dissuaded citizens from eating meat but vegetables which he said were healthy.

Information secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana said people should instead applaud Mnangagwa for his “pro-poor” messages.

But, Mangwana defended the Zanu PF leader, saying: “There’s absolutely nothing the President should apologise for. In fact, the President should be applauded for his core message that government is committed to helping the poor and vulnerable to manage current economic challenges by putting in place social protection schemes which act as safety nests for these groups. He cited seven commodities which government was funding through subsidies.”

“He then said that meat was not a priority and referred to the health risks associated with eating red meat and pointed to the health benefits that came with eating vegetables. Instead of being lampooned for making this statement, this should trigger a health campaign promoting the eating of vegetables and whole grain,” Mangwana said.

However, analysts and opposition politicians, including MDC leader Nelson Chamisa, who for long was the MP for Kuwadzana constituency, challenged Mnangagwa to publicly apologise over his joke.

Information deputy minister Energy Mutodi said instead Chamisa should publicly apologise to Zimbabweans for calling for imposition of sanctions on the country and disputing the outcome of the July 30 2018 presidential election.

“The President is first and foremost a citizen who can communicate anything with fellow citizens, including cracking jokes with Zimbabweans,” Mutodi said.

“Chamisa is the one with a lot to apologise to Zimbabweans for calling for sanctions, disputing election results where he was clearly defeated and even giving false hope to his supporters.”

By Tapiwa Zivira

Just 14 days into the year 2019, Zimbabweans woke up to what was planned as a national shutdown to protest the 150% fuel price hike announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa a day earlier.

The hike, the only major of its kind in nearly a decade, came on the back of crippling fuel shortages that had gone on for three months, spurred on by shortages of US dollars and basic commodities, all pointing to a worsening economic crisis.

Initially, the shutdown — meant to run for a week — looked like just another ordinary protest that would die on its first day.

In Harare, the protests escalated during the day, mostly concentrated in low class suburbs, and soon spread into other towns, notably Bulawayo, Gweru, Kwekwe and Mutare.

The security forces comprising the police, soldiers and members of the intelligence launched a response that involved raiding the homes of some residents and indiscriminate beating and shooting of civilians.

The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) stated that 172 people had been injured, 68 of which were treated for gunshot wounds.

Between 14 and 17 January, 12 people were killed, over 200 injured and over 600 were arrested, and the internet was shut down for two days as the State brutally cracked down on civilians in what was a dark beginning to the year 2019.

This was the year government started off with lofty promises that the economy would stabilise and Zimbabwe would be back on the road to recovery.

With Finance minister Mthuli Ncube in charge of the Treasury, having been installed in October of the previous year, Mnangagwa oozed with confidence, promising a break from the past and an economic paradise.

However, things were not getting any better and shortages of basic goods persisted and prices continued to rise.

In February, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John Mangudya, let go of the fallacy that the US dollar was equal to bond notes and while presenting a monetary policy, he introduced a new currency, the RTGS dollar, which consists of electronic balances in banks and mobile wallets, bond notes and bond coins.

This meant the greenback could now be sold at the prevailing rate, and prices could be pegged in both US dollar and RTGS$ terms.

This move worked in favour of business, which could now sell goods at market price, but burdened the ordinary people, whose wages were not rising in sync with the exchange rate.

Tension remained, and the fear of the unknown prevailed, with many preferring to change their earnings into hard currency.

Without enough public confidence, the value of the RTGS dollar continued to slide.

In what was a de javu moment for those who lived through the 2007 to 2008 economic collapse, the economy was once again at the centre of Zimbabwean politics, with government continuing to promise stability and the opposition speaking of the need for broad-based political and economic reforms.

March 17, 2019, the government of Zimbabwe was caught unawares when Cyclone Idai hit the eastern parts of Zimbabwe, impacting heavily on Chimanimani and Chipinge districts.

It took three days for the first vehicles to reach the hardest hit areas of Ngangu and Kopa.

Hundreds of lives were lost and the disaster, the biggest of its nature in Zimbabwe, exposed the poor disaster preparedness and poor priorities of government, which immediately started begging for assistance.

Sadly, there were stories of some of the proceeds from the Cyclone disaster being looted by Zanu PF officials and some foodstuffs ended up expiring because of the bureaucracy that was involved in the handing out of donations.

Still, a glimmer of optimism continued, with the hope that things would get better, and by June life was only getting worse, with the value of salaries eroded, the black market — obstensibly fuelled by top officials, continued to thrive.

Mnangagwa did not stop travelling across the globe on a chartered flight that cost taxpayers millions of dollars.

Meanwhile, civil servants were now demanding to be paid in US dollars, or at least to have their salaries pegged at the prevailing US dollar rate.

In June, the Finance ministry made what was seen as panic move and introduced yet another currency, this time it was called the Zimbabwe Dollar (ZWL), and effectively banned the general use of the US dollar, restricting it to selected sectors.

This did not inspire confidence in the market, and the situation was made worse when government, throughout the year, sneaked in the US dollar through the back door by making exceptions on businesses that could trade or pay in US dollar.

By now, fuel shortages and 18-hour power cuts had become an everyday thing.

As business continued to suffer from these shortages, and ordinary people watched as their incomes were eroded, government did not stop to pronounce that Zimbabwe was “open of business” and that things were going to be better.

On August 16, the main opposition MDC attempted to demonstrate in Harare city centre, and the police thwarted it with unmatched brutality, once again putting the country under the spotlight of human rights abuses.

What followed was an effective ban on opposition and pro-human rights public activities.

By the time former President Robert Mugabe died, on September 6, his 37-year legacy of ruin was now looking like paradise.

The political drama throughout his funeral, where government and the Mugabe family and allies fought over how the veteran politician would be mourned and interred played out in the public domain.

What was more prominent though, to the ordinary people, was what they called Mugabe’s benevolence.

In his death, Mugabe looked like an angel.

A true test of the general disaffection with the Mnangagwa government happened in October when Zanu PF, which was now using sanctions as the scapegoat for failure, organised what they called an anti-sanctions march. It was monumental flop.

As they year ground to an end, and it was now apparent that all that was happening was the worsening of the economy. Ncube, who all along had preached confidence of a resurgence, fell short of admitting failure when he blamed “bad luck” for the country’s economic woes.

During the first week of December, weary Zimbabweans woke up to the news of a visit to Zimbabwe by former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki.

Mbeki met Mnangagwa and MDC leader Nelson Chamisa and other political actors, heightening speculation that he was in Zimbabwe to ignite political dialogue to rescue the country.

The veteran politician left, promising to return for more interfaces.

On a bleak Christmas, as Zimbabweans grappled with power outages, fuel and cash shortages, an impending drought, Mnangagwa flew to his farm in Kwekwe, escorted by an army helicopter, to meet his Polad partners.

In Kwekwe, Mnangagwa — surrounded by his Polad partners — portrayed the face of a happy and contented man.

Nothing in his face showed that he was leading a country in crisis, neither did he show any worry over the infighting in his own party.

As 2020 comes, Zimbabwe is a ship that is on the verge of sinking, with no rescue in sight, and the only risk anyone can take without getting shot at by security agents, is to hope for the best.

BY MTHANDAZO NYONI

ZIMBABWE’S fish export volumes increased by 37% to 2 318 tonnes between January and September 2019, driven by fresh water frozen fish and frozen tilapia, according to a Livestock and Meat Advisory Council (Lmac) report.

In value, the exports increased by 12% to US$4,9 million compared to the same period in 2018.

Exports were dominated by fresh water frozen fish and frozen tilapia that contributed 47% and 52%, respectively, of total exports.

“Consumer incomes have not kept pace with increasing costs of fish production, and as a result, fish producers are increasingly exploring regional and international markets to compensate for the local drop in demand,” the report reads in part.

Imports of fish in the period under review were 2 075t, a decline of 86% over the same period in 2018 and the value declined 80% from US$14,7 million to US$3 million.

“Foreign currency shortages appear to have had a severe negative impact upon the import of fish,” it said.

Fish imports were dominated by frozen jack and horse mackerel, both in quantity (58%) and value (54%) at an average price of $782 per tonne. Dried fresh water fish were also imported at $2 098/t.

Zimbabwe Fish Producers Association (ZFPA) believes that fish production would grow significantly, with aquaculture rivalling the chicken, pork and beef industries.

With the right policies and strategies, there is enormous potential to develop fish farming in Zimbabwe, using tilapia — Africa’s own indigenous fish, which achieves good growth rates under intensive production.

Zimbabwe has relatively developed aquaculture and is one of the top 10 fish farming countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

According to ZFPA, the country’s aquaculture sector can produce 20 000 tonnes of fish, creating 10 000 direct jobs and another 10 000 indirectly.

Currently, Zimbabwe is producing approximately 15 000 tonnes of fish per year in a small number of dams.

If all the dams can be fully utilised the country has a potential to increase fish production to almost 1,5 million tonnes per year, according to experts.

For Zimbabwe to realise the full potential of aquaculture, the private sector and government must work together with financial institutions to establish an Aquaculture Development Fund.

LMAC said as the fish farming industry grew, there was need for accredited and certified trainers to provide expertise and practical training to fish farmers as well as bio-security requirements for fish farming, including effective pest control, regular monitoring of water quality and correct handling of fish to ensure that fish are maintained in a healthy environment for optimum production.

Some of the commercial fish farms in Zimbabwe include Lake Harvest Aquaculture (Kariba), The Bream Farm (Kariba), Mazvikadei Fish Farm, Clairmont Trout Farm, The Trout Farm and Inn on Ruparara, also in Nyanga.

Zimbabwe’s first minister of Agriculture Dennis Norman died in Oxfordshire in December last year, reports from England have said.

Norman also famed for being part of the initiation of the Beira Corridor and subsequent established of the Féria oil pipeline passed on Friday December 20 after a long battle against cancer of the oesophagus.

Norman was appointed by Zimbabwe’s inaugural Prime Minister Robert Mugabe reportedly at the suggestion of the late Lord Soames.

Reports say Norman’s appointment after a long and bitter racial war that cost in the region of 35 000 lives came as a huge surprise.

At the time, it was seen as a strong and meaningful appointment that underscored Mugabe’s determination to cement racial and political reconciliation in a war-torn country.

Norman was later appointed as Minister of Transport, the post that saw him spearhead the establishment of the Beira Corridor and the oil pipeline still in use today.

After serving Zimbabwe in various portfolios, Denis Norman and his wife, June, returned to England.

His death will be mourned by all those who knew him, worked with him and admired his honesty, integrity and ability to heal old racial wounds by doing so much to bring about the prosperity of thousands of small-scale black farmers while underlining the importance of experienced white commercial farmers and growers, once the backbone of a thriving agricultural sector of the economy.

“One of the great men of the post-Independence era is no longer with us. It is hard to believe we will ever see the likes of him again in Zimbabwe,”Trevor Grundy who reported his death in England said. (Additional reporting by Rex Mphisa)

BY Stephen Chadenga

A GWERU gold miner has combined mining with agriculture in a bid to maximise production in the two sectors.

Speaking last Friday during a tour of the gold mine and farming projects, CMN Mines managing director, Advance Chauke said he uses water pumped from mine shafts for irrigation purposes.

“We de-water our mine shafts and use that water to irrigate crop fields,” Chauke said on the sidelines of the tour.

“At the moment we have planted maize on three hectares and the crop is ready for harvesting. We have also prepared 10 hectares of land and given the availability of irrigation equipment such as pipes and drips we can put more land under irrigation.”
Chauke added: “We also produce potatoes, tomatoes and vegetables.”

Chauke, who is also Confederation of Zimbabwe Miners president, said he started his mining venture, situated 22km north-west of Gweru off Matobo Road along Nkululeko Way, in 1999.

He said a South African investor, he was not at liberty to reveal, would partner CMN Mines by June this year in a move that would see the setting up of additional plants at the mine.

“If we set up an underground plant and another one for dumps we would increase production from the current one to two kilogrammes of gold per month to between three to four kilogrammes,” he said.

Speaking at the same event, Midlands provincial lands officer, Kudzai Katiyo commended Chauke for enhancing food security through combining mining and farming.

“This is quite commendable that a miner is using water pumped from shafts for irrigation purposes,” she said.

“We also encourage Chauke to assist other farmers surrounding him with water pumped from the mine shafts.”

Guest speaker at the event, Chief Chisadza of Lower Gweru encouraged other miners to emulate Chauke.

“Surely, if agriculture experts are engaged they can put standard canals and other irrigation equipment, turning this mining-farming venture into a world wonder,” he said.

BY FORTUNE MBELE

Goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda (pictured) has committed to Highlanders and only a good offer from outside the country can persuade him to leave the Bulawayo giants.
NewsDay Sport has been informed that Sibanda, who turns 31 in a few week’s time, is on Norman Mapeza’s Chippa United radar and could land himself in the South African top league this year.

However, the Chilli Boys, who are also reportedly interested in the services of FC Platinum goalkeeper Wallace Magalane, are yet to approach Highlanders.

Sibanda still has a year to his contract with Highlanders and yesterday said his heart was still with Bosso, the only club he has played for in the top league locally.

“I am still a Highlanders player and I am still committed to playing for the club. I have not heard anything about any club that wants my services and Highlanders have not said anything to me as yet. I am with Highlanders and if I am to go anywhere, the club obviously has to get something,” Sibanda said.

Highlanders spokesperson Ronald Moyo yesterday confirmed the Warriors goal minder still has one more year at Highlanders and the club has not had any offers for the veteran shot-stopper.

However, a source has said Highlanders are aware Sibanda is wanted by Mapeza and if he is to leave, the Bulawayo giants’ eyes would shift to Magalane.

At the moment, any inward transfers have been frozen as the club awaits to bring in Mark Harrison as the head coach.

The Bulawayo giants are likely to lose striker Prince Dube to a yet to be named club in China where he went last month together with Triangle’s Delic Murimba.

The two’s handlers Joe Smart Sports and Events Management confirmed the duo’s status on their website last Thursday, saying Murimba had missed out on a chance for trial in Europe.

“It has recently been a sad story for Delic when he once again couldn’t beat the visa application deadline to attend trials at Kups ( in Finland) as was the case when he couldn’t get Schengen visa to trial in Sweden in summer of 2019. However, this could turn out to be a blessing in disguise if everything goes according to the revised recent agreements we negotiated with the Chinese side Heilongjiang Lava Spring FC,”
Heilongjiang said Murimba will trial for a development player slot.

“This is different from Prince Dube’s situation at a different club as the coaching staff won’t be meticulous in making recommendations as to sign him or not. Prince on the (yet to be disclosed club) would be expected to spearhead the club’s attack in the coming season if all goes well,” a statement on Joe Smart’s website read.

Outgoing Highlanders coach Hendrikus Pieter de Jongh had recommended that Highlanders pursue veteran strikers Obadiah Tarumbwa and Ralph Matema for this year, but with the Dutchman gone everything has stalled.

Highlanders had targeted bringing on board Bulawayo Chiefs goalkeeper David Bizabani, striker Farau Matare and defender Malvin Mkolo, with Brendon Mpofu also in their radar, but that will all be subject to Harrison’s approval.