Experience zimbabwe issue 1 2015 by Experience Zim Mag

experience

ISSUE 1 2015

ZIMBABWE LEISURE • TOURISM • LIFESTYLE

FACE-OFF IN THE WILD as All Aboard the Umbozha

GATEWAY TO THE EAST Stop Over at The Amber

HIDDEN PARADISE Opening the lid on Binga’s Bounty

THE STORY BEHIND THE AFRICAN SUN Meet Shingi Munyeza

CONTENTS ISSUE 1 2015

Editor’s Note

LEADER

8 Dinner with Kariba’s Man Eaters All aboard the luxurious Umbhoza for an unforgettable adventure and a taste of the high life.

Amber Hotel Mutare’s hidden gem, the popular Amber Hotel where bubbling hot springs, majestic mountains and the “Big Breakfast” make for the perfect getaway destination.

Zim Zam Uni Visa Immigration relaxation between Zimbabwe and Zambia is set to boost the tourism industry.

TRAVEL

Zim Tourism Grows The number of Tourists visiting the country continues on an upward trajectory.

Discovering Binga A fascinating trip where ancient culture intertwines with new initiatives to create a flourishing community.

NEWSMAKER

30 Dynamo Behind the African Sun A look at hospitality dynamo, Shingi Munyeza’s passion for the industry and his people. Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

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FROM THE

EDITOR

WELCOME TO ANOTHER EXCITING edition of Experience Zimbabwe Magazine. So much thought and planning has gone into putting together this edition. The exciting news about this is that the magazine is now available on APP and Google Stores. With your smartphone /android download your latest issue and enjoy. The World Market Tourism in Cape Town from April 5 to April 16 presents exciting times for the Experience Zimbabwe Magazine. Raising Zimbabwe’s travel and tourism flag high, the team at the magazine takes great pride to be media partners at this prestigious international tourism event. For sure, we are here to promote Zimbabwe’s best in the travel, leisure, lifestyle and tourism industries. We are very proud to play our part. In the provinces. Zimbabwe has 9 provinces and beginning with the next edition, we will be in each province and “sampling” the best. We will be knocking on your doors in soon. Share with us all the exciting stuff happening in your province. Send an email and we will definitely be in touch. Zambia and Zimbabwe have set the tone on regional integration, particularly with the launch late last year of the UNI-VISA. Indeed, there is movement geared towards recovery in the tourism sector and it will not be too long to see the results. Grivin

PUBLISHER Prime Media Network Publishing Group (PTY)

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PUBLISHING EDITOR Grivin Ngongula grivin@primediazw.com

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COPY EDITOR Tanya Waterworth

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©2015. All work published in Experience Zimbabwe magazine is protected by copyright. Only with written permission from the publisher may any part of this magazine be reproduced or adapted in any form. The information provided and opinions expressed in Experience Zimbabwe magazine do not necessarily represent the opinions of this publication, the publisher or the editor. The publication, the publisher and the editor cannot be held liable for damages of any kind arising directly or indirectly from any facts or information provided or omitted in these pages or from any statements made or withheld by this publication.

Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

DINNER WITH A

MAN-EATER A face-off with an angry hippo, a croc encounter of the wildest kind and moments of sheer indulgence aboard the luxurious vessel “Umbozha” on Lake Kariba – journalist, SHAME MVUNDURA shares his tale of high jinks and adventure.

Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

swampland, resting on mountain foothills that stretch from the breathtaking Kariba gorge in the east to Mlibizi in Binga. For over 50 years, Lake Kariba has become the buffer that has shielded royalty and executives from hyperactive and demanding metropolitan lifestyles and helps them fulfill their quest to recharge by retreating into a quieter enclaves that warmly embrace them. Here, nature lovers’ appetite for exploration is rarely quenched.. With every return, they are greeted

by a destination pregnant with the mysteries associated with ‘Africa’s best kept secret’ and fresh, exhilarating experiences. It is the sheer sense of peace that has always attracted me to this hot part of the world, where tourists enjoy extraordinary nights in the middle of nowhere, listening to nothing but midnight booming sounds of Africa’s most dominant man-eaters. This, my latest expedition, came barely five months after another daring adventure in Botswana’s Chobe National Park, which left lasting impressions at the heart of my high adrenalin-seeking soul.

UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER Back then, I joined other explorers as we dangerously sailed through the astounding Chobe River in North eastern Botswana but came out unscathed after a day of excitement and near fatal confrontations with deadly wild beasts. The highlight of the trip was when we crashed with a belligerent hippo, which unleashed its vengeance on us after suspecting that we were out to kill its baby, with all of us least expecting that we had orbited into harm’s way. It plunged into the waters from the edge of Sedudu Island, aggressively strolled knee-deep at hurricane speed into muddy shores, pummelling the sleepy waters into massive strata of rolling waves which left the entire vicinity in complete turmoil. Our ramshackle speed boat quaked and stuttered. I calculated that the hippo’s scale of destruction would be immense. At least one newsman from each of southern Africa’s 15 economies would be wiped out had it struck. Our young captain panicked as he attempted to flee. But with each ticking second, fate was propelling us towards a lockdown with the unpleasant wicked herbivore. The captain tried to take off again, but the old engine muffled. Our predicament was fast turning into a full-scale dilemma. Then it burst into full speed just as the rest of us had surrendered to fate. I put the anxiety of the nasty Chobe experience behind me in October as we blasted off Andora Harbour in the land of Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

ESCAPED TO LAKE KARIBA IN November to take a deserved respite from Harare’s fast-paced life. It had been a difficult year in which Zimbabwe’s unrelenting economic crisis exerted tremendous hardships on a population whose buying power has been eroded by a decade of turmoil. The powerful strain is already becoming too much for many companies, including those in the tourism industry, where vital revenues have been clobbered and budgets are unravelling. Lake Kariba, where the brilliance of God’s artistry and unequalled creativity is revealed through the majestic lake, it snakes through 300 kilometres of extremely arid terrain, undulating landscapes and muddy

my birth aboard Umbozha (Shona for big bucks), the US$1,2 million floating mansion that is Lake Kariba’s latest addition to the league of high spending and extravagance.

toppled hills and submerged forests and valleys, with its dreadful waters ricocheting after being blocked by the newly constructed dam wall in the 1960s.

RIVER GOD

CROC COLLISION

I was excited at the privilege of navigating through a water body that gave me no chance to see its furthest boundaries. Everywhere, blue waters stretched out, later uniting to form a false delimitation between earth and the sky, which can only mark how far the eye can see. So we embarked on a luxurious excursion that would take us 10 kilometres south of Kariba, dodging beautiful outcrops of green land as we zoomed past. Some islands were dwarfed by the massively build vessel in whose belly we feasted on roasted fish and attacked deliciously prepared full chickens, washed down with elite wines, all of which temporarily swayed our minds from the challenges and struggles that have paralysed our economy. The small islands are visible only a few months per year, before rumbling waters consume them as water levels rise from May to September. We were treated to a buffet of unique beverages specifically prepared for the trip by our hosts, giving us a healthy welcome to the land of Nyaminyami, the mysterious River God. The jovial, bulky, funny and extremely gifted, Captain Marnie Kloppers and Montana, his teen assistant, were brimming with outstanding hospitality. We rolled past a series of freshly uprooted grass twigs, forced out of wet mud by a cheeky, but subdued sporadic tempest that seemed to denounce their existence. Then we were propelled through clusters of lush green islands covered with Mopani trees. Impalas and spotted guinea fowl flocks emerged from the thickets. They are the latest generation of dynasties of an unfortunate cross section of creatures condemned to the little islands by an accident of birth. Generations of their ancestors have passed on five decades of isolation from the mainland after thousands of their kith and kin were relocated during operation Noah to escape the surging Zambezi waters. This was when the mighty river swamped woodlands,

Inside the imposing Mopani trees, birds whistled to welcome us into the extremely unpredictable bundu experience. We weaved our way through an army of dangerously lurking Mopani stumps, dry branches effortlessly supporting precariously hanging fish eagle nests. The shaky vessel skirted shallow waters and invaded Kapenta pathways, its massive engine revolting against a tide of light currents as if to stamp its authority. An hour later, we rolled into a secluded bay that rests on the bean-shaped Antelope Island.

Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

“I have just eaten the freshest ever fish in my life,” I Whatsapped to a friend. “Two hours ago we were fishing, now the breams have been fried,” I bragged. “Beware of Njuzu (mermaids),” he fired back, no doubt jealous.

Everything suddenly shifted from metropolitan to wild as Umbozha swept through to rocky shores, with us relaxing and game viewing from its top deck. A carcass lay lifeless on the banks, a massive backbone ripped open by the attrition of gnawing predators. “We are late,” shouted Kloppers. “This would be a good supper for us. We must go fishing, otherwise there will be no supper,” he joked. He is an interesting character with vast knowledge of the lake and wildlife. Well read , he is also a keen follower of the naughty stories on the front pages of Zimbabwean tabloids. On the banks we

were greeted by a blazing territorial dispute as Umbozha’s blue hull grilled past a few stones to dock. Two young crocs were battling for a boundary in a bloody showdown that jolted everything to a standstill. We got down to taking photos. The tug-of-war was intense, with some hilarious hide and seek, reminding me of my two toddlers back home - Innocent and Clayton who are always flexing it out over a plastic ball. I christened the older reptile “Innocent” and the naughty young one “Clayton”. “They are about one and half years old,” Montana told me with the authority of a teenager who has mastered so much in a few days from his extensively experienced mentor. The crocs sliced though the shallow waters with the dominant brother in hot pursuit, crashed twice, before declaring a ceasefire. The defeated croc cut deeper into the waters never to emerge again.

the breams have been fried,” I bragged. “Beware of Njuzu (mermaids),” he fired back, no doubt jealous. Zimbabwean registered leisure group, Dunhu Ramambo launched the stylish and sustainable floating mansion in November 2013. With its name eloquently describing the credentials of those qualified to enjoy its vast hospitality, Umbozha is a three-deck house-boat that more appropriately resembles a floating home. It has made its mandate to brazenly invade the tranquil environs of the lake to please its high spending patrons taking an adventure of a lifetime. Spread over three levels, the nine bed roomed Umbozha comes complete with expensively designed furnishings, well ventilated walls, wooden floorboards and floor-to-ceiling windows, a roof level deck, intelligent lighting systems, a giant pool and extensive power backups on board.

ADVENTURE IN STYLE Immediately, we sailed for a late evening fishing expedition where I struggled to catch even a kapenta, while my counterparts scooped scores of the giant silver Kariba bream. Back on the expensive dinner table

“Here, nature lovers’ appetite for exploration is rarely quenched.. ...With every return, they are greeted by a destination pregnant with the mysteries associated with ‘Africa’s best kept secret’ and fresh, exhilarating experiences.

atop Umbozha that evening, I ate the lion’s share of the real hunters’ bounty, frequently updating each and every stage of my holiday to colleagues in Harare. “I have just eaten the freshest ever fish in my life,” I Whatsapped to a friend. “Two hours ago we were fishing, now

MOMENT TO REMEMBER It proudly stands in any part of the lake, parading its unique structures and generous aeration that has made it one of the well sort-after pleasure vessels of its generation. Dunhu Ramambo, which has six house boats in operation on the lake, is one of a few leisure firms that have taken to route of preparing for a boom in arrivals anticipated in Zimbabwe as political temperatures cool down. “This is the first ever commercially operated houseboat on Lake Kariba,” said Chris Chiparaushe, group general manager at Dunhu Ramambo, the firm that owns Umbozha, in addition to the magnificent Pamuzinda and Chengeta Safari Lodges in Selous. The following morning, I reluctantly woke up from my heavily air conditioned cabin to confront the hostile early morning temperatures of the Zambezi Valley. As Umbozha drifted out of the makeshift harbour at the end of the expedition, “Innocent”, the victor of the Island showdown the previous evening, dashed closer to its side and raised his long ugly mouth in my direction. I nodded. Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

The exquisite Amber Hotel stands imposing along a busy highway.

AMBER HOTEL HIDDEN GEM IN THE MOUNTAINS

Bubbling hot springs, majestic mountains and a nearby golf course. Located in Mutare, Zimbabwe’s gateway city to the east, Africa Sun’s Amber Hotel boasts superb facilities whether you are entertaining clients or tying the knot, while the hotel’s popular watering hole - the Foresters Arms Bar is just the place to unwind…..

Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

The inside, just like the outside is immaculately and elegantly furnished.

Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

NLY a short distance from the border post with Mozambique is the city of Mutare, located in a luxuriant valley which many believe is the country’s tourism sleeping giant. The country’s picturesque city is Zimbabwe’s gateway to the east and to the Indian Ocean, where the only thing that gets spoiled is you the traveller. Mutare is home to African Sun’s Amber Hotel, previously known as Mutare Holliday Inn. It has vibrant, hospitable staff who are always at the service of the guests and a visit

Within an easy drive of Mutare, is the added bonus of some of the most spectacular tourist attractions Zimbabwe has to offer. The country’s highest peak, Mount Inyangani is 30 minutes drive away, while the Hot Springs Resort - with its fascinating natural and some say, health-restoring hot springs is also within easy reach. The magnificent Bvumba Mountains and the Botanical Gardens - lavish with remarkable plants, are half an hour’s drive eastwards. Surrounded by spectacular scenery,

to the facility is not simply memorable, but unforgettable. The spacious rooms, elegantly furnished to meet every guest’s taste are the powerful traits that give it the social hub status which holiday makers and tourists cannot resist. Recent renovations have given the hotel a new look that encapsulates convenience for guests, who can enjoy their drinks while catching up with the latest world news on huge flat screens. With its style and distinction, this hotel qualifies as the ideal location that offers business and adventurous leisure seekers the finest cuisine and service excellence. The city of Mutare, in its spectacular surroundings, is well worth a visit in its own right.

in many parts reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands, Mutare is at the centre of a collection of myths and legends of tribal origin as well as the history of the early European settlers.

BUSINESS OR PLEASURE Business and leisure travellers are well catered for by African Sun Amber Hotel Mutare which has a total of 96 rooms comprising 62 twin rooms and 17-king leisure rooms, all superbly appointed and maintained. The hotel has three conference rooms in total that offer full conference packages which include food and beverages and also a wide variety of conferencing equipment and stationery.

The efficient and qualified staff members are adept at arranging all aspects of conferences or other functions with the Odzani and Murahwa rooms holding up to 35 people each, and the splendid Vumba room able to accommodate more than 100 people and still remain spacious. The conference packages at the hotel can be customised according to the client’s specification which gives them the advantage of being flexible. The conferencing department also organises cocktail parties and weddings which can be held in the conference rooms with all the catering being done by the hotel.

MUTARE’S “GREAT BREAKFAST”

Business and leisure travellers are well catered for by African Sun Amber Hotel Mutare which has a total of 96 rooms comprising 62 twin rooms and 17-king leisure rooms, all superbly appointed and maintained.

African Sun Amber Hotel Mutare has two bars and one restaurant. The restaurant offers a wide variety of delectable dishes to suit all the guests’ and

The bar is located within the hotel where the guest can relax and have a drink while watching television. The Foresters Bar is conveniently located near the reception area and the elevators for the guests’ convenience.

guarantee a memorable eating experience. Hotspring Restaurant offers full English breakfasts every morning, delicious lunches and dinners with a wide selection of dishes to choose from for guaranteed satisfaction. Its extensive and varied menu choices, served buffet-style, is popular with guests and locals alike. The Forester Arms Bar, paying tribute to the surrounding forest areas, is a favourite watering hole for locals as well as guests, who can also enjoy refreshments by the swimming pool and on the Sun Deck.

The alternative is the Aloe Bar which is located outside by the pool area which offers the guest an opportunity to relax outdoors while sipping on a drink. The famed African Sun Amber Hotel Mutare’s ‘great breakfast’, an ideal start to a day spent exploring the Eastern Highlands. For guests not content with the exertions of hill-climbing and mountaineering, the hotel has a special arrangement for them to use the nearby tennis courts, gymnasium, bowling green and 18-hole golf course.

Stocked bar and executive bedrooms are meant to give the weary traveller that well reserved rest. Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

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TRAVEL: Regional & International

ZIM, ZAMBIA LAUNCH

UNI-VISA

The launch of the Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) uni-visa is set to broaden and enrich the tourism experience while providing important economic benefits to the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diverse host countries and communities, officials said. BY DALPHINE TAGWIREI

Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

IMBABWE AND ZAMBIA CELEBRATED THIS milestone when they launched the KAZA uni-visa at the Victoria Falls Bridge on Friday. Before the launch of the uni-visa, tourists visiting Southern Africa were required to apply for separate visas for each country they visited due to the different visa regimes that were in place. After the realisation that this system was a deterrent for multi-country travel in the region, the development of a common visa, simply known as a uni-visa, was endorsed by SADC Heads of State in 1998. Tourism stakeholders as well as Government officials agreed that in undertaking the uni-visa initiative, the region would become a more competitive tourism destination as the added convenience and reduced costs would encourage more visitation and longer stays. Speaking at the launch, SADC Ministers responsible for tourism, incumbent chairman and Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Eng Walter Mzembi welcomed the accomplishment and initiation of the KAZA visa. “An analysis of global tourism development shows

and poverty reduction,” she said. Minister Kapata said that tourist arrivals showed that 12 tourists who arrive create employment for one individual hence it provided opportunities as tourism could not be an economy’s backbone on its own. “We need the participation of labour ministries as they control the immigration department and when measures are implemented we can curb unruly elements that only contribute to the demise of the tourism sector,” she said. Formerly priced at US$70 the old visa has now been replaced as it was frustrating because once one entered Zambia on their return to Zimbabwe they purchased a new one at the same cost. However, the new visa expires after 30 days and costs US$50. It can also be used by one-day visitors to Chobe in Botswana. While there have been obstacles to implementation, significant momentum is now building towards the UNIVISA. This pilot initiative is being developed in close cooperation with the KAZA TFCA and the Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa(RETOSA) and is being supported by the

“An analysis of global tourism development shows that many regions are facing challenges of socio-political instability including terrorism. This is an opportune moment for our region to take advantage of its competitive edge on the continent and increase its contribution to the growing global market share from the current four percent of the world’s global arrivals of 1 087 billion to double digit by 2020”

that many regions are facing challenges of socio-political instability including terrorism. This is an opportune moment for our region to take advantage of its competitive edge on the continent and increase its contribution to the growing global market share from the current four percent of the world’s global arrivals of 1 087 billion to double digit by 2020,” said Minister Mzembi. His Zambian counterpart Minister of Tourism and Art Jean Kapata said that increase in tourism arrivals would benefit both nations economically. “Increase in tourism arrivals are a boost for our economies because this improves the job market through job creation Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

World Bank and the German Development Bank KfW. If the pilot project under way is successful, a common visa would then be established among all five KAZA TFCA countries. By eliminating the need for tourists to obtain multiple visas, cross-border travel would become easier and less costly. This should provide a major boost to tourism within the world’s largest TFCA. This will likely involve the additional incorporation of South Africa, Mozambique, and Swaziland and a successful result would encourage expansion to the full list of the 15 SADC countries.

TOURISM

TAKES A LEAP

Natural tourism attraction spots such as the mighty Victoria Falls, or Mosi-oa-Tunya (Tokaleya Tonga: the Smoke that Thunders) stand as testament to the natural wealth found Zimbabwe.

Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

Key tourism initiatives, including a visa pilot project, should see a welcome boost in the industry in 2015. SHAME MVUNDURA investigates…

IMBABWE’S TOURISM SECTOR WILL grow by 4,7 percent in 2015, riding on a string of initiatives put in place by government during 2014, a Cabinet Minister said in November. The growth of 4,7 percent would be among the biggest jumps in recent years and could be attributed to the results of a national tourism policy announced by Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister, Walter Mzembi in August 2014. Mzembi, who is targeting the tourism industry to generate about US$5 billion per annum by 2020, has also accelerated an aggressive marketing into the Chinese market, where he says at least five percent of Beijing’s outbound tourists must land in Zimbabwe. About 100 million Chinese tourists travel to the world’s major destinations per annum. But despite Zimbabwe signing the prestigious Approved Destination Status with China in 2003, arrivals from China have largely been insignificant. Zimbabwe’s tourism industry went through some of its worst period between 2000 and 2008 when bad publicity in the source markets led to a slide in arrivals from key markets. It has been recovering since 2009 following the implementation of measures to stop political disagreements.

Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

“The sector is projected to grow by 4,7 percent in 2015, compared to 3,9 percent in 2014,” said Finance and Economic Development Minister, Patrick Chinamasa. “This translates into tourist arrivals of about 2,1 million in 2015 from two million in 2014,” the minister said. He further said average room occupancy rates in hotels would close at 54 percent in 2015, one percentage point higher than the 53 percent expected during 2014.

ECONOMIC ANCHOR Bed occupancies are projected to rise to 38,5 percent in 2015, from 38 percent in 2014, said Chinamasa, who presented the 2015 National Budget statement late November and projected subdued overall economic growth. He said three important developments had taken place during 2014, which were

The sector is projected to grow by 4,7 percent in 2015, compared to 3,9 percent in 2014.......This translates into tourist arrivals of about 2,1 million in 2015 from two million in 2014,

expected to stimulate the growth of the tourism industry. The sector is counted among the anchors of economic recovery in Zimbabwe, where the key manufacturing sector has been battling to recover due to lack of capital and power shortages. The manufacturing sector is facing several challenges, while the agricultural sector has been affected by erratic rains and lack of funding. The launch of the UNIVISA pilot project

between Zimbabwe and Zambia recently, together with securing of funds to run a tourism satellite account would improve accessibility into Zimbabwe and accountability of funds generated from the sector respectively, Chinamasa said. The country also launched the Tourism Policy in August, which spelt several initiatives that will improve the performance of the industry. Launched in Victoria Falls in December 2014, the UNIVISA is expected to improve problems faced by tourists when migrating from one country to another in SADC. The project, with funding from the World Bank, will be expanded to the rest of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc in the coming years.

NEW VISA FACILITATION The World Bank notes that relaxation of immigration restrictions between the two countries that form part of the giant Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) will be a huge leap towards the creation of a massive transnational tourism system. It says activity will focus on a phased approach toward implementation of Visa facilitation for KAZA countries leading to the implementation of the SADC UNIVISA pilot. The approach towards removing barriers for visa simplification and streamlining of immigration processes will include several interventions, including harmonisation of visa requirements for Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Angola; reviewing the existing visa situation among the partner countries; and identifying immigration and customs regulations of the partner countries that would require harmonisation in order to facilitate implementation of the KAZA UNIVISA Benefits will include increased competitiveness of the SADC region, elimination of administrative impediments such as time delays and improved ease for issuing of visa and distribution of visa revenues to the pilot countries and increase in the efficiency and transparency of immigration procedures for tourism. Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

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Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

BINGA

PLACE OF THE BOABAB Mahewu, marula and ancient wisdoms of the baTonga people.Off the beaten track, Binga is a blend of modern initiatives and intricate culture, from the strong Zubo women who fish on the mighty Zambezi to unusual offerings from the legendary Baobab tree. It’s a journey that leaves you wanting more… BY MAXIMO SHONHAYI

caption

Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

Breathtaking scenery adds to the natural beauty known about Binga

T TOOK ME NEARLY 900 KILOMETRES from Harare to travel to the place my father was born. For me, the journey to Binga was personal and began as a child. It was a place I imagined. My father’s birth certificate which mentioned his place of birth as Binga had always been an identity map of a curious geography I longed to explore and interact with. We are originally from the east in Chipinge. This trip was facilitated by Zubo Trust, an inspiring non-governmental organisation, run by women from the area. Co-ordinator of the project, Rosemary Cumanzala, who is generally known as ‘Mother’ by the women’s collective, always ensured there was someone to drive me around the area. Zubo women are history makers. They were the first females in southern Africa to own a fishing rig in the Zambezi River and formally entering a male-dominated industry

after being provided with a rig, equipment and skills training from UN Women. Legend has it that it is the first time since the 1960s that women from the baTonga have been able to fish at all. Although historically it was traditionally the baTonga women who fished using zubo baskets, aspects of their matri-lineal culture changed when the group were displaced by the construction of Kariba dam and forced to live downstream in Binga.

WOMEN WITH PURPOSE Lake Kariba was made by damming the Zambezi River and flooding the valley which was home to a people called the Tonga tribe. After the flooding they reluctantly resettled on higher ground. They were forced to move from where they’d lived and fished for centuries so that the power of the Zambezi could be harnessed for electricity and yet 50 years on and the Tonga people Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

still go without electricity or running water. Binga’s main industries other than tourism are now fishing and fish farming. The baTonga have developed an intricate and prosperous culture within the constraints of life on the margins of the Zambezi River. Apart from fishing, the women do many other community projects – basket weaving, market gardening, and producing baobab products such as mahewu, yoghurt and drinks. The projects are spread across villages in Binga and I was taken to see them on location. This unique opportunity allowed me time to spend time with the baTonga communities and learn about their ways of life and their environment and culture, to celebrate and respect traditional rituals and wisdoms. Binga, which is situated along the southern bank of Zambezi River, is known for high temperatures and culture-conscious people. For some reason, most of us, have participated in giving the place a bad name by perpetuating stereotypes of a place that does not exist but we imagine exists. However the remoteness and isolation of the district, its low and erratic patterns of rainfall makes viable crop farming unviable and food insecurity a perennial problem. Meaningful economic opportunities therefore in the district are hinged on sustainable utilisation of natural resources, particularly fishing from Lake Kariba and the local plants like baobab, marula and ilala palm.

DISCONNECTED FROM THE BUSTLE These projects have strengthened the capacity of rural women on sustainable utilisation and conservation of natural resources. Binga women are producing baobab mahewu, yogurts, juice and jam for both domestic consumption and business purposes. These projects are all contributing to Binga women’s increased income and capacity to contribute to family needs such as paying school fees especially for the girl-child. Binga Rest Camp became my home for the duration of my stay in the area. It’s a place imbued with history and one of the earliest tourist facilities to be built on the lake. It was started by two brothers in 1961 who also became the first to start commercial crocodile farming in southern Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

Binga is however endowed with a variety of natural resources, which can be exploited to the advantage of local people, especially women and girls who constitute at least 52% of the population in the district

Africa, if not in the world. Zimbabwe was a leader in southern Africa in the field of wildlife conservation during the period 1960 to 2000, specifically in protected area management, communitybased natural resource management and the development of the private sector as key producers of wildlife outside of the state protected areas. This was brought about by the 1975 Wildlife Act, which gave landowners the right to utilise wildlife on their own land. This revolutionised the wildlife and tourism industry. Unfortunately, mobile signal is still a matter of chance in Binga. Telecel hardly reaches. Netone and Econet can be accessed in spots. And ZBC has hardly broadcasted in Binga since the 1980s. I remember on the stereo there were crackling sounds, then a Zambian radio station would start playing – and this is not because residents enjoy it more than local stations. They simply can’t access Zimbabwean radio and TV signals. So Binga has been distanced from most activities in the country. The district is a sleeping giant in tourism because there have not been enough efforts to package the area as a tourist centre like its nearby cousins such as Hwange, Kariba and Victoria Falls. Binga is however endowed with a variety of natural resources, which can be exploited to the advantage of local people, especially women and girls who constitute at least 52% of the population in the district. A week was not long enough and I long to be back in Binga for another dance with the place.

DYNAMO BEHIND

THE AFRICAN SUN An iconic business leader, as well as game-changer in the hospitality and tourism markets, Shingi Munyeza has interests throughout Africa and is at the helm of bringing franchises Mugg & Bean and Ocean Basket into Zimbabwe. Yet he is also a man of the people, bringing hope to many disadvantaged communitiesâ&#x20AC;Ś

ACK IN THE 1960S, THE NAME MUNYEZA became synonymous with swimming pools. This was after Fredrick (Munyeza) joined forces with Joe Jackson to set up a pool company which they named Jackson Munyeza Pools. The business flourished over the years to become one of

the largest in the country. But everything Fredrick achieved was just the forerunner of more success to come in the family. Today, his son, Shingi, is the chief executive officer of the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange hotel and leisure group, African Sun Limited, whose foot print now spreads across the African continent. Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

EARLY YEARS Born on September 17, 1966 at Howard Hospital in Mazowe, Shingi is the eldest of the six children born to Fredrick and Damaris. While staying with his grandmother in Inyanga, Shingi attended Tamunesa Primary School. However, the school was later closed due to the Second Chimurenga war which had become intense in Inyanga. As a result he moved to the capital city, Salisbury (now Harare) where his parents had relocated and went to Mhizha Primary School in Highfield. Shingi’s leadership qualities were evident in his youthful life as he served as the head-boy at St John’s High School in Emerald Hill. He also served as junior mayor while at Prince Edward High School in Harare.

A MIND FOR BUSINESS After completing high school, Shingi, did articles under EY, formerly Ernst and Young. He holds a Bcompt degree in Accounting from the University of South Africa. In addition to that, Shingi, obtained a Diploma in Applied Accountancy from the Institute of Chartered Accountants, an IMM Diploma in Marketing and a Diploma in Hotel Strategic Management from Cornell University, New York. In recognition of his contribution to business development in the tourism sector, an honorary Doctorate in Business Administration and Development by Solusi University was conferred on him in 2010. A trained chartered accountant, his love for marketing saw him make a career change to advertising. Later on, he led a group of business people to acquire shares in the then Zimbabwe Sun Group of Hotels (Zim Sun) which in 2008, was rebranded to African Sun. The hospitality group owns a number of hotels and resorts throughout Zimbabwe. Through Shingi’s strategic direction, African Sun has expanded its operations into Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia. In May this year, Shingi, using his family investment vehicle - Gallalo Investments- acquired the franchise for South African food outlet, Mugg & Bean for the Zimbabwean market. The first outlet for the specialised coffee shop was opened in November. “We intend to expand this particular brand and others into the main economic centres,” he said. “We plan to have three more Mugg & Bean outlets within the next 12 months and we will see where demand takes us from there.”

TOURISM TURNAROUND Other than in South Africa, the Mugg & Bean brand has a presence in Namibia, Botswana, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Through his other investment vehicle, Vinale Investments, Shingi acquired another franchise for South African seafood restaurants chain Ocean Basket, which is set to open at the upmarket Sam Levy shopping centre in Borrowdale before year end. Experience Zimbabwe issue 1 2015

Shingi also played an instrumental part in bringing about a turnaround of tourism in Zimbabwe through various initiatives when he was the president for Zimbabwe Council for Tourism for three successive years. As president of the tourism council, Shingi worked closely with governments in Africa to improve tourism in African countries. Shingi who is married to Wilmar and they have a daughter Nomsa, has a very strong Christian beliefs and desire to work with people from all works of life. He is not only an accomplished business personality, but also a senior pastor at Faith Ministries in Harare. His passion for community transformation has resulted in the initiation of sustainable youth programmes in disadvantaged communities in Zimbabwe targeted at young people. He is one of the most sought-after conference speakers on doing business in God’s ways.

Shingi Munyeza, CEO African Sun Limited

REACH FOR A DREAM A lot can be said about this hotelier, who is also an author and whose quotes are embedded in many articles, with the famous one “What appeared as a far-fetched dream has become a reality and it is a great chance for Zimbabwe’s tourism to flourish.” He also has string of prestigious awards to his name - in 2008, Shingi was the Zimbabwe Institute of Directors Award winner. That same year, he was crowned ‘CEO of the Year’ by the Institute of People Management Zimbabwe. He also received the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority Personality of the Year Award for four years running.

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