Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe in Masvingo
KARIBA Municipality has assured that it will be ready to host the 2027 edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo, with preparations set to begin immediately to address accommodation and infrastructure requirements.
Sanganai is now being held on a rotational basis, with the 2026 edition taking place in Masvingo before the expo moves to Kariba next year.
Kariba Mayor Councillor Ralph Nyasha Maoneyi told Chronicle that the municipality was using the Masvingo edition to draw lessons on preparations, operations and the requirements for successfully hosting the expo.
“We are here in Masvingo to get lessons from Sanganai 2026.
“As you are aware, the Government, even through the speech of President Mnangagwa yesterday, affirmed that Sanganai 2027 is coming to Kariba.
“We will be your hosts and obviously there is a lot to learn from just the preparation to host the event.
“I know a lot of people have been asking a lot of questions around our readiness as Kariba and we want to assure people that we will be ready,” he said.
The mayor said accommodation would be a major priority, with Kariba currently having about 2 000 rooms.
“We need to start the work now and our main focus is obviously going to be on getting accommodation correct.
“We are within the range of 2 000 rooms, but we want to increase our capacity to not less than 10 000 rooms by the time we get to next year and we already had a plan in motion,” he said.
Kariba is also banking on the development of Mopani Bay into an integrated tourism hub to boost accommodation and hospitality capacity.
“Those of you that have been following the work that we have been doing through the subdivision and development of Mopani Bay into different tourism facilities coming into an integrated tourism hub.
“That will also address the issue of accommodation, it will also address the issue of food courts because we have created room for those,” he said.
Infrastructure development will also be critical to Kariba’s preparations, particularly improvements to the main road linking the resort town to the Chirundu Highway.
“Our conversations with the central Government from now getting to September 2027 in terms of the main Chirundu Highway, which is the main connection to Kariba.
“We have had assurance that works will start soon and we believe with the coming in of Sanganai, that will also influence that move and the work will start,” he said.
The hosting of Sanganai in Kariba is expected to provide a major platform for the resort town to showcase its tourism investment opportunities while supporting the Government’s devolution thrust and spreading the economic benefits of the country’s flagship tourism showcase across provinces.
