adminWHAT is Zim Asset?
This probably has been one of the most commonly asked questions, whenever reference is made to the Government’s latest economic blueprint – the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation.
Some comics, taking advantage of the so-called mystery of the blueprint, have taken it upon themselves to come up with jokes around the blueprint, prompting some people to view this as just another document.
However, on close scrutiny, Zim Asset is a document pregnant with mega projects which if implemented, will propel the country to economic stratosphere.
Most of the projects prescribed in the economic blueprint have however failed to take off due to acute funding shortage and in some cases, a lackadaisical approach by those sitting in the cockpit.
That is why both Government officials and even the media have been scrambling for ways on how best they can tell the story of Zim Asset as they risk being dismissed as loud mouths good at stage-acting while nothing is on the ground to back the words.
“I read Zim Asset once and told myself that I will never waste time explaining this document to the people,” said Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Obert Mpofu last week during the tour of the Victoria Falls International Airport in the resort town.
“Immediately I said the only way to tell the story of Zim Asset properly is not to gather people and talk but to implement the projects in the blueprint. This way I am explaining the story of Zim Asset through tangible projects.
So far I can safely say we have done 50 percent of the projects under the Infrastructure and Utilities Cluster and I promise by 2018, we will meet our target.”
The Infrastructure and Utilities is one of the clusters which Zim Asset is premised on. The other clusters are Food Security and Nutrition, Social Services and Poverty Eradication and the Value Addition and Beneficiation.
The blueprint identifies the Infrastructure and Utilities cluster as the fulcrum on which growth and competitiveness of the economy must oscillate.
Noted part of Zim Asset: “There is need for the country to undertake work in critical areas such as the development of a robust, elaborate and resilient infrastructure. The Infrastructure cluster is focused on the rehabilitation of infrastructural assets and the recovery of utility services in Zimbabwe.”
While it might be hard to just swallow Dr Mpofu’s evaluation of projects under his ministry in relation to Zim Asset, developments at the Victoria Falls International Airport somehow buttress his ambition to tell the story of the blueprint through projects.
The airport is being refurbished not to service tourists coming to view the majestic Victoria Falls but to become a tourism transit hub.
“Tourists always complained that they are being forced to use Oliver Tambo International Airport which mainly caters for business and general visitors. They want an international airport that will become a connecting centre to major tourist areas in sub-Saharan Africa,” quipped Cde Cain Mathema, the Minister of State for Matabeleland North.
The international airport is being refurbished by Chinese company China Jiangsu International and financed through a concessionary loan from China Export/Import Bank to the Government worth $150 million – another of the various Look East policy success stories the Government has deliberately undertaken.
Most of the works at the airport are at various stages of completion.
Some of the works include the construction of a new terminal with a capacity to handle 1,5 million passengers per annum and a four-kilometre runway which will be 60 metres wide and associated taxiways with a capacity to handle a Boeing 747-400 or equivalent aircraft.
“The runway we are using is small and is only 30 metres wide,” said Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe chief executive officer Mr David Chawota, giving a brief on the progress of the airport.
“We saw that this (existing airport) was too small to carry the expectations of Zim Asset.”
In addition, a new Fire Station will be built, new sewage ponds and a water reservoir with a capacity of 2 000 cubic metres.
Mr Chawota said the airport would also have three air bridges, latest air navigation systems, airline lounges, modern restaurants, baggage and handling facilities, duty free shops and an expanded car park capable of accommodating 1 000 vehicles.
“The terminal is around 43 percent complete. The concrete work must be done by December. The runway is at 73 percent completion and it must be ready by February. All in all we are targeting to complete everything by August 2015.”
This certainly is a major development project under way but while the champaigne bottles have been stocked to celebrate its completion next year, major challenges lie ahead.
Some structures like another airport – Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo – has not recorded enough traffic befitting its status and the huge investments injected in its upgrading.
The airport commissioned in Bulawayo last year, has recorded low business volumes with only two operators – Air Zimbabwe and South African Airlink servicing the airport in addition to sporadic private airlines. Some companies that were expected to take some of the shops at the giant structure have also not moved in resulting in low occupancy at the airport.
However, Dr Mpofu warned that Government won’t allow the airport to be a white elephant.
“We are opening the skies,” he said.
“The days of protecting Air Zimbabwe are over. We are going to license more operators especially for the domestic routes and regional routes. Let those with their aircraft parked at home come to us and we will give them the licences to use at these airports,” said Dr Mpofu.
He said the argument that Air Zimbabwe wanted some protection was invalid as in the past, the national airline had performed well when more than 15 other companies were flying into the country.
He said Government had already taken a two-pronged approach to increase traffic volumes in the country.
The first step is negotiating Bilateral Air Service Agreements with countries where airlines have shown interest in flying into the country.
The second is promoting the growth of domestic aviation sector as evidenced by the recent launch of Fly Africa (Zimbabwe) which has already secured a number of domestic routes.
But it never has to be a Government effort alone, Dr Mpofu pleaded.
Those in the tourism sector, which will be the major beneficiary once the airport is complete, must ensure that the infrastructure is used to justify the huge investment pumped in.
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief operating officer, Mr Givemore Chidzidzi, said they had already started marketing the airport in all their marketing strategies.
“We have already started including this airport in our marketing strategies. We are already telling the market on what to expect. We are grateful to Government for this project because after all it is the tourism sector which is set to benefit more,” he said.
Mr Chidzidzi, however, said it was also imperative for Government and other stakeholders to come in and complement their efforts in the marketing of the airport.
Zimbabwe Council for Tourism representative in Victoria Falls Ms Barbra Murasiramwa said as part of marketing the airport, tour operators had started including the airport in their advertising even online.
She said operators were strategising ways of using the airport and some operators would take office space after its completion.
Cde Mathema implored local authorities in Matabeleland North not to just watch while doing nothing.
“This is a huge project. I am also happy because at least 300 local people were employed, but local authorities in this province are just watching. They do not even have strategies in place on how they are going to use the airport. We heard of many facilities that will be opened including restaurants and we want our local farmers to supply the goods.
They can only do that if they start planning,” said Cde Mathema.
But besides the afterthoughts of what to do when the airport is running, there is no doubt that the development of this international airport will be a game changer in the tourism sector and a major evidence of the success of some of Zim Asset’s aims.
Online Reporter