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PRESIDENT Mnangagwa is expected to lay the foundation stone to mark the start of the construction of an international cricket stadium in the resort city of Victoria Falls.
This was announced by the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere during the Post Cabinet Media Briefing on Tuesday in Harare.
“Zimbabwe Cricket was allocated 10 hectares of land for the construction of an international Cricket Stadium and ancillary activities in the Masuwe Special Economic Zone for Tourism in Victoria Falls. The Stadium will be used in the hosting of the 2026 and 2027 Cricket World Cup jointly with South Africa and Namibia. His Excellency President Mnangagwa will lay the foundation stone to mark commencement of the international cricket stadium on 23 May 2024.”
Government set up Mosi-oa-Tunya Development Company (Pvt) Ltd, a State enterprise, as an investment vehicle for the development of tourism in Victoria Falls, with particular emphasis on the upper end of the market and ensuring that there was the bulk infrastructure needed for the sort of facilities that investors would put in to draw more people to Victoria Falls for longer stays.
Mosi-oa-Tunya Development Company owns 274,1 hectares of prime land on the Jafuta Masuwe Estate, which is a significant complement of the Integrated Victoria Falls Special Economic Zone.
The parastatal’s nine-member board chaired by Mrs Sheila Sidambe was appointed in 2021 and was given the mandate to deliver infrastructure development in Victoria Falls by expediting feasibility studies for bulk infrastructure and appropriate diligence to register the company’s presence with a solid brick and mortar project.
The Government expects that the company delivers on its mandate to grow the tourism product base in Victoria Falls and starts delivering during the lifespan of the National Development Strategy (NDS1) which runs to the end of 2025.
Cabinet approved the implementation of the Masuwe Special Economic Zone in Jafuta Estate following a feasibility study that found the scheme to be potentially highly profitable through the allocation of more land and resources to the Victoria Falls tourism area along with good town planning.
The Cabinet approval paved way for implementation of the project and Mosi-oa-Tunya Development Company has been busy scouting for investors, with Zimbabwe Cricket becoming the first serious investor that has come through.
The Masuwe city concept on the new land sees, besides other facilities, a five star convention centre with matching flagship hotels and villas, a golf estate, a medical tourism facility and a commercial central business district, international service centre and high end residential units.
The outline of what Masuwe City should deliver started effectively in 2020 July and Cabinet approved the concept in principal in the same year. Cabinet endorsed a final report for the project in March this year paving way for appointment of a town planner to ensure that all development fitted into place.
Online Reporter