Almendra Cultural Group tours region

Gala last week but failed to connect to the country due to the Air Zimbabwe pilots’ strike, finally arrived in the country on Monday morning.
The nine-member all-female group is famed for its thought-provoking lyrics and deft dances and will now play in Namibia, Zambia and South Africa before returning to play at several shows in Zimbabwe between May 26 and May 30.
On Tuesday the group paid a courtesy call on Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi. Group vocalist Maydel Hernandez said the band passed through Zimbabwe to assure the minister that they will come back on the final leg of their regional tour on May 26.
“When we arrived on Monday we were fascinated by Zimbabwe and that night we played before the diplomatic community and Cuban doctors. We will certainly reserve the best for Zimbabwe as that will be our final country before we leave for Cuba. Of course, we were disappointed not to play at Zimbabwe’s Independence Day celebrations. We would have loved to show the country what we can do but all the same, we will compensate when we come back in May,” she said.
Minister Mzembi said the group will play in Zimbabwe and visit major tourist attractions so that they can become the country’s tourism ambassadors back in Cuba.
“I had invited them to play at our Independence Gala but the Air Zimbabwe strike affected them, so they could not play. We have shared a lot between our countries since the days of the liberation struggle. We have a shared vision and we want to use this group as our tourism ambassadors back in Cuba.
“They will play in Harare and probably in Masvingo and other places but they will certainly visit the National Heroes’ Acre, the Great Zimbabwe National Monument and Victoria Falls, so that they fully appreciate our country,” said Minister Mzembi.