Zimbabwe’s MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has revealed ambitious plans to transform Victoria Falls into the Las Vegas of Africa.
Mr Chamisa added that the opposition alliance would establish a tourism and fisheries university to cater for the Zambezi Valley region once elected into office.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Victoria Falls last Friday, Mr. Chamisa said Zanu PF even under President Mnangagwa’s reign had failed to restore confidence in the economy.
“Victoria Falls must be like Las Vegas where if you turn to the left you see a Chinese, if you turn to the right you see a British and so on,” he said.
“This can only happen when we have vision to develop Victoria Falls as a city. We have a plan for the Zambezi Valley; we want a tourism and fisheries university.
“Our gospel is transformation, prosperity and opportunity and none of our people will leave the country to look for jobs as they will be available locally.”
Mr. Chamisa said his party was working on a number of programmes which will be launched soon, among them replacement of the bond notes with a real currency as well as well establishing a disability grant to cater for the disabled.
“Zanu PF should restore confidence and trust. Us, we don’t need 100 days; once we get into government the first thing to do will be to address the cash crisis. We will stop the bond notes and bring real money,” he said.
The opposition politician addressed dozens of party supporters at Chinotimba Hall in the company of PDP leader and former finance Minister Tendai Biti.
Mr. Chamisa said he has a vision for building state-of-the-art road and rail infrastructure across the country as he lamented lack of development in Matabeleland region which he blamed on exploitation by Zanu PF.
New Zimbabwe.
Sleeping Zambia now Zimbabwe will surpass us when we could have at least caught up with their standards the time they were struggling with Mugabe. This breaks my heart to say the least. Vic falls and Livingstone have a lot of potential
These are the plans the plans Zambia should be having. The biggest investor in tourism in Livingstone is HH through AVANI and the Royal Livingstone….HH is definitely the kind of leader we need, one with progressive ideas for job creation
Obatala, what Zambia needs is a leader who does not think he is god. If HH is as rich as he pretends why is his mother still travelling in an ox cart?
lungu is very busy with 2021 elections. Nothing else matters but winning 2021. There’s no time to think about developing the country, that can come later when he has won 2021, 2026, 2031, 2036. You people must investigate where this chap comes from. He definitely isn’t Zambian. A real Zambian would have a heart for the nation and from time to time at least exert efforts to develop the country.
The kind of brains needed in leadership, not Edgar Lungu’s long biting teeth.
Las Vegas is a nasty place full of gambling and brothels why should Victoria Fall emulate that? Has this guy even been to Las Vegas!
There we GO, A dead and FINISHED Country “Zimbabwe”, at least have a strategic plan. When Zambians are asleep, yet we are a country with better Goodwill. Makes me now believe that leaders are Born not made. No matter what, Lungu and his regime will DO nothing for ZAMBIA.
Yea @Hdj, well said. The Zambian mindset has the puzzling mindset that tends to throw rubbish out an open window and when it closes, look inwards to continue throwing the same rubbish. We do not think of opportunities as a chance meeting of creativity and forward mobility. The only positive I am noticing is that private educational institutions are stepping up to out-do public ones. Perhaps out of this will come the new mindsets…
This is where we get it wrong. Copycatting. This is a world heritage site and the last thing you want to see are casino lights, ferris wheels etc. Tourists from the west, who make up the bulk of your tourists, are running away from city lights to more pristine and natural habitats. Believe me Chamisa’s vision is a recipe for chaos and I hope the Zambians don’t fall for the Las Vegas trap. Lets aim for low volume, high end tourism
@ ba foloshi, my thinking exactly. tourists come to see the natural Victoria Falls not some fancy casino. They have enough of those artificial facades in their country. Please do not tamper with the falls leave it as natural as it is.
well said my brother
So you are satisfied with tourists spending a few minutes viewing the “natural” falls from the Zambian side then they cross back to Zimbabwe side to dine, relax, enjoy, sleep, dance, eat, gamble and spend a lot of money there!? The truth is that Livingstone is very boring. After you have seen the falls, what else do you do? Tourists are on holiday, they need plenty of entertainment. Tourist towns of the world don’t sleep! Entertainment places in Livingstone don’t necessarily have to be close to the falls.
Leave the natural beauty of Victoria Falls alone, do not transform it into Los Vegas. You can transform other cities in Los Vegas, not the natural wonder
Visit Niagara Falls in Canada and see for yourself. People live and learn. Victoria Falls region both on the Zimbabwe and Zambian sides can be far much better if well planned. There are certainly ways to make a place as natural as possible yet very attractive.
In Zambia such talk will not be tolerated by Minister of Religion woman Godfriah
Don’t worry Zim has no money and no strong opposition party so nothing will happen, fixing 37 yrs of mismanagement takes time. but leave the falls natural.
You are a fool who probably has never been to Zimbabwe. Go to Zimbabwe now and come back tell us if you think we better than them even if they have been struggling. People like you are the ones that pull our country backwards.
What would be the environmental impact of such a transformation up and down stream of the great river?
We don’t need the thief of privatization to be our leader! Zambia can do this without the that nuisance. Let us do it Zambia!
So Victor, out of hate, you would rather remain poor? How many real (not imaginary) thieves do we have in Zambia at the moment?
Please don’t have people who do not understand tourism make such dangerous propositions. We want minimal impact and do not want to have mass tourism which will have negative impacts on tourism. This will bring many problems such as pollution, prostitution, crime etc. There are so many things that are low impact that will bring tourism revenue. Victoria Fall should remain as an echo and environmental place and the reason it is a UNESCO protected site and the 7th natural wonder of the world. Destroying it by people with no vision will not bring it back once it has been damaged! Las Vegas was build on land that was built because it was a dessert and someone came up with a vision to turn it into a money making machine. Victoria Falls is not a dessert.