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and therefore has never escaped the eye of Zimbabwe’s friends and detractors.
There are Wikileaks too. Well, stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industry in Zimbabwe might have read many stories about Wikileaks in the political and other sectors and never had access to their own.
If they did they swept them under the carpet but this installment takes a look at the issues raised in the cable. A recently released cable shows that the industry was under spotlight from the United States of America, especially towards the 2010 World Cup Finals. A cable leaked by the whistleblower website paints a picture of a divided tourism and hospitality industry that wanted the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority disbanded, over levies.
The American embassy doubted Victoria Falls’ ability to handle tourists, especially the 2010 World Cup tourists. While making wild claims that ZTA chief executive Mr Karikoga Kaseke is a former Governor and Resident Minister of Matabeleland North, the United States embassy in Harare never believed that Zimbabwe could host any World Cup contesting team.
“ZTA nationally is led by Karikoga Kaseke, a Zanu-PF strongman, who is also a former Governor of Matabeleland North, the province where Victoria Falls is located. Zimbabwe hopes to entice one of the participating World Cup teams to train in Zimbabwe. Most observers say this scenario to be unlikely, particularly after the Africa Cup of Nations incident in Angola where two members of the
Togolese delegation were killed, and in light of the world wide perception that there is still unrest in Zimbabwe,” reads the cable.
But as facts would have it or still have it, Kaseke has never been Governor of any province and Zimbabwe hosted Brazil, one of the world’s top most soccer teams.
The American embassy in Harare also posted to Washington that the tourism and hospitality industry wanted ZTA disbanded.
“They (the tourism and hospitality industry) are actively lobbying for the ZTA to be disbanded and the current 2 percent tax that ZTA collects from all hotel guests to be directed to the Ministry of Tourism. Hotel managers told us that the money was being siphoned off by Kaseke and his cronies for their personal use,” read the cable.
But as defined by journalistic ethics, Kaseke had to comment after confirming reading the cable.
“Well, I don’t deny that I am Zanu-PF and I have never made any attempt to dissociate myself from Zanu-PF. It is fact that I have always been Zanu-PF, but some of the things in the cable you refer to were meant to make sure that I remain on the sanctions list. I have never been Governor. As for the disbanding of the ZTA, I will not comment on wishful thinking. ZTA is an authority properly constituted and run professionally so the money we collect is used within the organisational framework,” says Kaseke.
Going forward, stakeholders in the sector must have buried its hatchet and the American embassy must have swallowed its pride, after Zimbabwe hosted Brazil. Meanwhile, United Nations World Tourism Organisation, 2013 general assembly beckons.
Online Reporter
dyton mupawaenda