admin
Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
THE Victoria Falls Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is set to benefit the whole of Matabeleland North Province through the creation of an economic corridor up to Hwange and Lupane.
Stakeholders who met in Victoria Falls last weekend said the SEZ Victoria Falls concept will not be complete if confined to the resort town as there are economic opportunities for the country in Lupane, for instance.
The stakeholders were discussing at a consultative meeting organised by the Office of President and Cabinet who led a delegation from China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to seek people’s views about the concept.
Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls have been identified as pilot SEZs to give birth to Sunway City, Bulawayo Industrial and the Victoria Falls tourism and financial centres.
Matabeleland North Minister for Provincial Affairs, Cain Mathema said SEZs should create an economic corridor linking the whole country to give tourists full packages as well as increase their period of stay in the country.
“As Matabeleland North we are happy that Victoria Falls has been identified as one of the pilot SEZs. We have to link every activity between Victoria Falls and Hwange National Park down to Gonarezhou and make this a corridor so that tourists have a full package,” he said in an interview.
The minister said the concept will result in hotels and tour activities along the corridor up to Kariba making up strategic points that will allow tourists to stay longer.
Minister Mathema said there will also be other economic activities along the corridor with farmers around Victoria Falls also benefiting through supplying special types of crops to the value chain.
“Victoria Falls will be a financial and working centre and there could be other businesses such as diamond cutting and polishing or mineral processing industries instead of only having curio vendors.
“We are in agreement with creating a corridor all the way to Lupane hence we need to speed up dualisation of the highway as well,” he said.
A cross section of Zimbabweans has given support to the SEZ concept with tax experts who attended a recent meeting in Victoria Falls calling for its speedy implementation to address problems of de-industrialisation.
Under the concept, investors will be exempt from some taxes for a period of five years from the date they invest in the country.
In Victoria Falls, there will also be a convention centre on a 270ha piece of land between Victoria Falls International Airport and Masue River as Government wants to transform the prime resort town into its conference capital.
The Government on Monday announced the SEZ board led by former central bank Governor, Dr Gideon Gono. He will be deputised by a Bulawayo based lawyer Mrs Sithandile Ngwenya of Coghlan and Welsh in the 11-member board. — @ncubeleon
Online Reporter