adminAfter all the hullabaloo about the imagined election rigging, Zimbabweans now want to get down to business and put the economic recovery programme back on track. It is a fact that a lot of time and in some cases resources were wasted as a result of the inclusive Government’s bickering. A number of programmes that should have been implemented remained in limbo because those in Government did not share the same vision because of ideological differences.
Following the successful conclusion of the harmonised elections which were at the weekend endorsed by the Sadc summit which ended in Lilongwe, Malawi on Sunday, it should be back to serious business to develop the country.
The elections had earlier on been endorsed by Comesa, the African Union, China, Russia and the African Caribbean and Pacific members that sent observer teams. The country is awaiting the inauguration of the President Cde Mugabe as Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
The nation is racing against time to get down to serious business after the harmonised elections which did not only open a new chapter for an independent Zimbabwe but sent a very clear message to the country’s detractors that Zimbabweans are masters of their own destiny.
Zimbabweans said loud and clear through the ballot that the country will never be a colony again.
The elections, it has to be agreed, was a litmus test for Zimbabweans whose enemies expected the elections to be marred by violence in order to justify outside interference.
Zimbabweans, much to the chagrin of the prophets of doom, conducted themselves peacefully before, during and after the elections thereby denying especially foreign journalists from western countries the anticipated ‘scoops’.
Zimbabwean elections have never before generated so much interest among the international media and the Government should be commended for its foresight and vision which saw it accrediting as many journalists as possible including some from hostile nations to cover the elections thereby shaming its detractors.
The foreign journalists were so desperate for negative stories that some of them ended up diverting their attention from elections to mineral exploration activities taking place in the country.
What is comforting is that after all is said and done, patriotic Zimbabweans had the last laugh. It is these patriotic Zimbabweans who are raring to go who want the so-called election court challenges concluded so that they get on with the work at hand.
A very important meeting, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly being co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Zambia starts this weekend and Zimbabwe which is just coming out of the bruising challenges of the harmonised elections, is being put to test again.
The country and its counterpart, Zambia are playing host to representatives of more than 155 countries drawn from all corners of the globe.
We have no doubt that Zimbabwe will once again triumph and demonstrate to the world that it is not just a leader in conducting peaceful, free, fair and credible elections but that its people know how best to look after their visitors.
The Government and the tourism sector have spent millions of dollars to upgrade tourism facilities and other infrastructure to meet the visitors’ expectations.
The country can only realise the return from its investment if those providing services to the visitors make the visitors’ stay a memorable one so that they become our ambassadors when they return to their respective countries.
We want a situation whereby many of these visitors stay a few more days after the general assembly enjoying our hospitality in the different tourist destinations dotted throughout the country.
At this juncture we want to once again implore all those involved with the UNWTO general assembly to seize this once in a lifetime opportunity to market Zimbabwe as a tourists’ destination of choice by providing excellent services.
Online Reporter