TOURISM minister Mangaliso Ndhlovu has appointed a new board for Mosi Oa Tunya Development Company (Pvt) Ltd, and chairpersons for the Environmental Management Agency (Ema) Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) boards.
Announcing the appointments yesterday, Ndhlovu said he was looking forward to having the new Mosi Oa Tunya board chaired by Shiela Sidambe to deliver on its mandate for infrastructure development in Victoria Falls.
“Our expectation of the new board is that they will expedite the current feasibility studies for bulk infrastructure that are being done with the assistance of Old Mutual and also move with speed and appropriate diligence to register the company’s presence in Victoria Falls with a solid brick and mortar project,” Ndhlovu said.
He added that the government expected the company to grow the tourism product base in Victoria Falls in the lifespan of the National Development Strategy.
The minister said in appointing he had undertaken to infuse experience with new vision and ideas focusing on skills “which will be pertinent in the new mandate of the Board whose main focus is Tourism Infrastructure development in Victoria Falls”.
Other members of the board include Desmond Matete (deputy chairperson) R. Mukogo , Aaron Chingombe , Felix Ngorora, Rugare Dobbie, C. Chinengundu and Irene Kamutero who are all board members while Patience Zenda is board member and ministry representative.
One of the members, Kamutero was a nominee from Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) which has a 20 percent shareholding in the company.
Regarding the ZTA Ray Mawerera was appointed the substantive chairperson.
“Your appointment comes at a time when the tourism sector is going through unprecedented challenges. The sector, like many others, has been hard hit by the Covid-19 Pandemic.
“It is common knowledge that travel and tourism have almost come to a halt due to the Covid-19 induced travel and other restrictions.
“That notwithstanding, there are high expectations that the sector should rebound and make a meaningful contribution to national economic recovery,” said the minister.
He also directed that the authority should urgently finalise the recruitment of a substantive chief executive officer to replace Karokoga Kaseke who retired last week.
For Ema, Ndlovu appointed Zenzo Nsimbi as board chairperson.