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Mashudu Netsianda in Victoria Falls
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has implored the private sector to complement Government in development projects so that the country achieves Vision 2030, which is aimed at transforming the economy into an upper middle-income status.

The President made the marks during a tour of Batonka Guest Lodge in Victoria Falls soon after officiating at an occasion to mark the conferment of Victoria Falls with a city status yesterday.

The facility was recently reopened following its closure as part of the Covid-19 lockdown regulations to curb the spread of the virus.

President Mnangagwa said there are many infrastructural requirements which should be fulfilled following the upgrading of Victoria Falls to a city.

He urged the private sector to come onboard in the economic growth of the new city.

“There are so many infrastructural requirements which we need here and there has been a shortage of building space here in Victoria Falls.

Government and private sector should make sure we design state of the art facilities in this area,” he said.

“We are going to put the first foreign currency stock exchange based here to attract global capital into this area as well as having the national convention centre that is going to be built here including other infrastructural developments.”

Turning to Batonka Guest Lodge, the President said there was need for the establishment of more facilities of that nature driven by the private sector.

“This piece of development will fit into the vision that we have as a Government. This facility has been constrained by the Covid 19 visitation but nevertheless we believe the pandemic will pass,” said President Mnangagwa.

Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Mangaliso Nqobizitha Ndlovu said the conferment of Victoria Falls with a city status will have a huge economic impact on the city.

“Before today when you googled tourism cities Victoria Falls was not part of them because it was a municipality not a city. Now you can imagine that such a place with a wonder in the extent of Victoria Falls could not be found among tourism cities. It was travesty,” he said.

“We are quite happy and very excited about the conferment of city status to Victoria Falls because it will have a huge impact in our tourism drive especially in the case of international tourists who might be planning to come here.”

The Minister said the conferment of the Freedom of the City on President Mnangagwa will also add impetus to the economic growth of Victoria Falls.

“This conferment of the Freedom of the City to His Excellency is an addition of yet another tourism product.

“We have spoken with players here and they are quite keen to put a plaque on the bridge where the President attained his freedom at the age of around 30 when he was released into Zambia,” he said.

“We want that important piece of history captured and the plaque will be put here in the next few weeks. I believe a lot of people will try and summarise the history behind the plaque.”

Minister Ndlovu said there is so much excitement around the City of Victoria Falls, which is the country’s tourism capital.

“Government is committed to giving the city maximum support. In addition to its being a special economic zone there are numerous investments that are lined up for Victoria Falls and it is only befitting that this happens when it is pronounced a city,” he said.

Victoria Falls Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube said the city’s growth is set to bring in a lot of opportunities and make the city council compete with other global destinations like Cape Town and Durban.

“Now that we are a city in terms of the visits when tourists look for an ideal destination, they don’t look for towns and municipalities, but they look for cities.

“The fact that we are now a city means we have to up our game in terms of service delivery,” he said.

“This was a long journey which started in 2016 when we applied for city status and the committee that came to investigate us to be accorded a city status made a couple of recommendations and the status of our books of accounts were not up to date at the time. We managed to update everything to the satisfaction of the Local Government ministry.’

Mr Dube said the upgrading of Victoria Falls into a city also entails that when they are doing their physical planning, they will now include in their lay out plan facilities that match the new status. — @mashnets