United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general Assembly
takes place in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Tourism Minister Sylvia Masebo
talks to tour operators (not in picture) at Royal Livingstone Hotel to
iron out accommodation challenges and other related issues
Government has threatened to shut down all lodges across the country that are operating below the required standards.
Minister of Tourism and Arts Sylvia Masebo said some lodges were not fit to be operating as such.
Mrs. Masebo explained to ZANIS in a telephone interview in Lusaka today that government was also aware that some lodges operated as brothels.
She said brothel business was illegal in Zambia and should therefore be discouraged at all levels.
She further said turning lodges into brothels painted a bad picture of the country’s hospitality industry.
Mrs. Masebo said government, through her ministry which is a regulator of the industry, shall not condone all those intending to venture into the hospitality sector to run lodges as brothels.
She said Zambians should value the business of operating lodges because it promotes economic development through job creation in the country.
She also stated that as Zambia prepares to co-host the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) conference in August this year with neighbouring Zimbabwe, lodge owners should ensure that their premises were well maintained and were meeting the required standards of the government.
Mrs. Masebo said Zambians should understand that the conference was a huge event that would market Zambia as a tourist destination in Africa and the whole world.
She said owners of lodges should continue maintaining their facilities and operate legally even after the conference.
Mrs. Masebo reiterated her confidence that the country would successfully co-host the UNWTO with Zimbabwe in August this year.
She noted that despite some challenges, government was making steady progress in ensuring that the conference is successful.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Masebo said art helps in contributing towards the promotion of the tourism sector in the country.
She pointed out that government was therefore ensuring that the tourism and art sectors were diversified in the country.
Mrs. Masebo has since called on all stakeholders countrywide to help support the tourism and arts sector in order to build them.
Zambia will co-host the UNWTO conference with neighbouring Zimbabwe in August this year.
ZANIS
Madam, why are you always threatening everybody. When are we gonna here about your plans and what you’ve achieved so far. We are tired, can you please just work and change the tone of your communication.
Threats are not an effective way is resolving these problems. Sadly, its our way of life in Zambia to accept substandard services and this will never change until we change our attitude and demand better.
We dress well, wading in paddles of water surrounded by mountains of garbage & we love it.
We have fewer tarred roads today than 1970 and more potholes and we just look
We have pathetic standards and poorly financied hospitals today.
Education quality at all levels is despicable.
Poor sanitation, dry taps even in hospitals and yet Zambia holds 36% of total water in the SADCC region and we rejoice.
We are happy to be the biggest copper producer in Africa and yet a small village in Switzerland makes 6000% more money from our copper just from taxes than we do
Whats wrong with…
BUT THE PF SYMBOL IS A FIST. WHY ARE YOU CRYING OVER THE THREATS. YOU DIDN’T SEE THE FIST WHEN THEY WERE CAMPAIGNING FOR YOU TO VOTE. JUST LIVE WITH IT .
Thank you Silvia. Its about time.
She probably thinks she is in Zimbabwe where threats are the order of the day.
Close lodges below standards ?You’ve let municipal councils have us walk in knee deep garbage,nasty street vendors and raw sewage.Why wash your cup on one side but outside its filthy? GRZ don’t be selective just hold everybody to high standards.
She is not Minister for local Goverment. But it shows she is trying to make things better. Keep it up Masebo.
@ My zambia- regardless,all in GRZ shud work in tandem like cogs in a wheel.Would LCC give me a building permit without a proper title deed? NO.
Better check those guest houses along Katima Mulilo road Lusaka, and see it for yourself other than issue warnings all the time. Even the last days before the summit you will still be warning and warning. If this one flops kindly stick to your words and resign your position.
Good observation. Please, advise her to resign now but not after causing embarassment to the nation. She is still talking with little or no work done so far.
This is getting to the 11th hour to the commencement of this conference. Does any one know if there are any benchmarks or milestones set as targets to achieve before the preparations can be cleared off? Issuing threats alone amounts to zero if people dont know what they are working towards? I hope there is transparency in the process so that the nation knows whether the conference and preparations will have been a success.
Weigh your conscious starting from your days at UNZA before you use the demeaning word “brothel”. Are you morally above that word.
BANE PLEASE LANDENIKO IFYAMANO. WE KNOW UVE GOT ISSUES WITH THE MINISTER BUT PLEASE SPARE US
that’s really uncalled for bane, bushe te ma jealous fye ayo nomba.
Check also how the operating licences were issued. Did you carry an inspection? and why lodges below standard were issued with linceces.
Secondly, arrange a seminar for lodge owners and help them understand why they need to raise standards.
Classfy the lodges in to classes and attach that to a licence and let lodges display so that customers know the class of the lodge just by the gate. Then create a minimum standard for all lodges.
Even the very 5 star hotels arround and national assembly motel are brothels in your context. Dont use derogatory statements selectively
Madam,you are confusing us.which lodges are keeping prostitutes? Please work without alarming the nation.invite the lodges and hotel owners and show the standards you are talking about. Lodges have been given licenses a sign that they within the standards. Thank you.
empty threats and NO action. Sperm bank at it again. Malupenga & Wynters orgies with Masebo still confusing her.
Solwezi 80% Guest Houses are Brothels, Livingstone has quite a number of them and sub standard ones. So when u threaten without action it makes us shout you down.
Wechikulu chonse you can use that language in public. You have no shame .Go and insult your mother.
Brothels are usually ones with a room fixed to a prostitute as you book. Is that the case in Zed now? That is serious. However, I am aware that a lot of couples do book themselves into lodges to fcuk… that is debatable as to whether or not it is ‘brothel’ behavior. That aside, the entire country needs a facelift. You leave Manda Hill and you are back in dusty, smelly, confused environments… We need a holistic approach not this idea of selecting places to satisfy UNWTO ambitions…
Wow! you seem knowledgeable on the other topic, speaking out of experience?
I support you on this one. Act now.
Miss Masebo, dont do that, am telling you hire and fire is no good for bussiness, can we sit down and sort out everything on the table? Believe me you i have been there (Fire and Hire) no good!
so were do you think you are going to go for short time.ndiwe uza jama
Ba Maaaseboooo…… mwapunduka??? Ati ba Minister………aaaaahhhaaaaa!!!
she knows them better..lol..they are not lodges but brothels..
It is usual Zambian Management by crisis again. The answer is to raise standards for all businesses in Zambia but not only hospitality sector. There are dozens of businesses today which do not even have fax, desk, phone and for copier & computer you can not mention it. The govt is the worst with no standards at all. Offices without, extensions, fax, tissue, copier, computer, stationery, recipts. Today? Clean up GRZ first & every business. Even waiving of duty for selective sectors is wrong becuase all businesses and GRZ are a value chain to each other. Just reduce duty & VAT on all services and products across the board. Make it mandatory for businesses to issue computerised receipts and brothels, corruption & fraud will disappear overnight without issuing any ministerial warning.
Let manicipal do their jobs up to the standards then you can threten the private sector. Ala iwe.
Police wan’ see my license
Run my social, check my gov’, search my glove
Keep they hand on they toast when they approach this thug
Cause I’m a hoodlum, a monster, Bad Boy, a goodfella
Gangster and a thug – yes I’m all the above!
HAPHAZARD POLICIES,A SIGN OF A BANANA STATE.DON’T WE HAVE THE TOURISM BOARD WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DGRADINNG AND LICENSING OF THE GUEST HOUSES,LODGES OR HOTELS?THE PROBLEM IN ZAMBIA IS THAT ”EVERYTHINH NINSUNINAKO”.AMANO YBA KOLWE
I have to agree with madam masebo on this issue of prositution and illegal activities.madam just come to no 19 lagos rd in rhodespark on a sunday evening and see what this establishment has to offer us patrons .all sort of vices in the name of a lcc licence disguised as a lodge.
Ati come to 19 lagose in Rhodespark. Is that where you are found? I guese Ok we shall meet you in full swing. People tend to pacify their own consciuos by condeming the very vices they do. Thieves condenm stealing. Tribalist condem tribalism vehemently. Those that looted DBZ money condem those that looted oil money. Those that condem “brothels” patronize “brothels”
Growing up in an environment where everyday you hear the words ‘nizakumenya’, you carry on even in later life. Even where you just need to sit down and discuss, you just use ‘nala milopola’.
There are things that shouldn’t come from a mouth of a cabinet minister. Brothel? Come off it Hon. Minister!
The Minister has no power under law to determine standards for lodges Madam. You are breathing hot air.
Any guest at a Lodge, hotel or guest house can bring in any accompanying persons they want. All hotels in Zambia are used for sexual activites, even by politicians whether on business or leisure. Hands up any politicians who were campaigning in Livingstone who did not pick a sex worker! Few indeed!
Technically, every hotel in Zambia is a brothel. Legally, there are no brothels in Zambia.
Yap, yap, yap all the time from PF.
How many lodges even know the so-called standards and what has Ms. Masebo done to increase awareness among lodge owners?
This must be encouraged cause mind you when Zambia bids to host the Afcon CAF officials will have to consider the standards of the Hotels and lodges in Zambia.
This UNWTO conference is already a flop on the Zambian side. Masebo should resign as she has lamentably failed to put nothing in place. Instead of embarrassing the country further, it is better Zambia leaves it to Zimbabwe. they are more organized in their dictatorships than this circus going on now.
Only a bad Carpenter blames his/her tools…
Nomba nga baisala a ma brothels, twakulaya kwisa?
Where will Dora Siliya operate from?
List of illegal brothels to be closed (please add some if you know them:
1. Parliament Motel
2. Lusaka Hotel
hehehehe!!!!!!!!!!!
Parliament Motel…its no wonder these MPs never turn-up for debates. Just open that place up to everyone especially the paparazzi!!
Chongwe Lodge
When are these ministers going to ever learn? You will never achieve anything via threats and directives. Why don’t you and the relevant stakeholders ie councils and lodge owners get together and work out long term concrete strategies… Ms. Masebo risks shooting herself in the foot all it takes is these selfsame people staging a “French style” protest during this UNWTO conference and sh*t we fit the fan for her.
Why does this woman always use threats? Threats is the language of kaponyas. No wonder a good number of people say PF is a party for kaponyas. If some lodges are being run as brothels then it means the police are sleeping on the job.