Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravaza, [email protected]
“THAT was the tastiest chicken I have ever eaten,” Ukrainian television host and journalist Peter Zalmayev said, reminiscing about a recent journey from Victoria Falls to Bulawayo.
Travelling by public transport, Zalmayev and his partner Julia made a brief stop in Lupane, where passengers disembarked to buy food, bottled water, and drinks.
For the first-time visitors, everything they saw, experienced, and touched along the way became a memory to cherish for a lifetime.
“We stopped in a rural town called Lupane on our way from Victoria Falls and came across a marketplace with small kiosks. I ordered chicken and pap — isitshwala, as it’s locally known, though the name is a bit tricky to pronounce,” he said.
“I must say, that was the tastiest chicken I’ve ever had. I ate it with my hands, and it was the most liberating experience. You don’t eat it with a fork — that’s ridiculous. It’s like eating pizza with a fork —who does that?
“After eating, I dashed back onto the bus just as it was about to leave. For me, those are the moments that make our travels so unique and memorable,” Zalmayev told Saturday Chronicle with a chuckle.
It’s a Tuesday afternoon, and the Ukrainian couple are enjoying coffee at a local café housed in the National Art Gallery in Bulawayo, where they met the Saturday Chronicle team to share their impressions of Zimbabwe.
Zalmayev, a Ukrainian TV host and director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative — a non-profit organisation promoting goodwill and human rights in former Soviet countries — is in Zimbabwe as part of a whirlwind tour of southern Africa that has taken him to South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, Botswana, Eswatini, Malawi, Zambia, and now Zimbabwe.
One of the first things that struck him about Bulawayo was the architectural beauty of its buildings.
“Take this art gallery, for example — it’s built to international standards, blending old and new architecture. Bulawayo was a pleasant surprise because of its rich history and its mix of colonial-era and modern buildings,” he said.
The couple entered Zimbabwe via Victoria Falls from Zambia and were immediately captivated by the splendour of the resort town. They are travelling exclusively by road across the African continent.
“Victoria Falls is absolutely worth seeing from both the Zambian and Zimbabwean sides. I also noticed price differences — something that costs US$20 in Zambia might be slightly more expensive on the Zimbabwean side.
“The resort town felt a bit pricey compared to cities in Malawi, for example — but then again, it’s one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and worth every penny. The hospitality in Victoria Falls was exceptional,” he said.
From Victoria Falls, the couple travelled by bus to Bulawayo. While potholes along the highway may frustrate locals, for the visitors, the slower pace was a hidden blessing.
“The potholes and damaged sections of the road actually worked in our favour — they forced the drivers to slow down, giving us more time to enjoy the beautiful scenery,” said Zalmayev.
From Bulawayo, they planned to head to Harare and then to the Great Zimbabwe ruins. Like a well-prepared traveller, Zalmayev had done his homework.
“I read a book by Zeinab Badawi titled An African History of Africa, which challenges colonial narratives of African history. She dedicates a whole chapter to Great Zimbabwe, describing its beauty, architecture, and the sophisticated systems of governance that existed at the time,” he said.
Beyond sightseeing, the Ukrainians are also on a 40-country tour across the South Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, and Africa to share Ukraine’s story amid its ongoing war with Russia.
“Part of this global journey is to hear what Africans think about the war in Ukraine and whether they feel its impact, even from thousands of kilometres away. It turns out the war has had far-reaching effects — even in places like Fiji and parts of Africa, where the prices of bread and cereals soared when the conflict began,” he said.
The Bulawayo weather was particularly welcoming for the couple, who are no strangers to freezing temperatures back home.
“This weather reminds me of our autumn — what we call ‘Fall’ — around late October in Ukraine, when it’s warm and the leaves are changing colour. It’s pleasant, and I’m relieved we don’t have to worry about malaria at this time of year. Honestly, we’re quite afraid of contracting it,” he said.
And his thoughts on US President Donald Trump?
“Under Trump, we no longer know what America stands for. His philosophy is openly dismissive of diversity, of Africa, and of other developing nations,” said Zalmayev.
