By Lastword Musekiwa Former Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) Chief Executive Officer Karikoga Kaseke has died. He was 62. In an interception his wife Irene Kaseke confirmed that Kaseke died at a hospital in Harare, where he was admitted following deterioration in his health. Kaseke suffered a stroke in 2018, which forced him to retire from ZTA in 2021 on health grounds. Mourners are gathered at number 38 Boscobel Drive West, Highlands in Harare.
By Lastword Musekiwa Zimbabwe was part of the 18th Edition of Meetings Africa that was held from 26-28 February in Johannesburg, South Africa. Tourism and Hospitality Industry Deputy Minister Tongai Mnangagwa led a delegation consisting of officials from government, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and other tourism stakeholders into Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) business namely, African Sun Hotels, Rainbow Tourism Group, VIctoria Falls Hotel, Airports Company of Zimbabwe, and Zimbabwe International Trade Events. The continental event creates a market access platform, for African Business Events Products and serves as the primary platform for the growth of the business events industry in Africa with the aim of growing economies. Zimbabwean players used the opportunity to tap into the lucrative MICE industry and built new contacts for more business. At least 380 companies from 21 African nations exhibited at the event. Zimbabwe took the opportunity to unlock the MICE market potential as the country seeks to achieve a US$5 billion tourism sector by 2025 in line with Vision 2030. Meanwhile Zambian High Commissioner to South Africa Mazuba Monze paid a courtesy call on Deputy Minister Mnangagwa at the Zimbabwe Stand and invited Zimbabwe to participate at the Zambia Travel Expo (ZATEX) 2024 being held from 13 to 15 June at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.
The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) will begin rolling out e-tolling before the end of the year to improve efficiency, motorists’ convenience and reduce operational costs. E-tolling is a cashless system that allows road users to make payments for road use with card facilities or e-tags at toll gates, with payments being made without vehicles having to stop. The process does not require physical toll booths on the highways and the first pilot project is expected to run before the end of June this year. Plans are also afoot to upgrade three tollgates to toll plazas as the Second Republic moves to ease congestion and boost revenue collection. Giving an update on disbursement of funds in Harare yesterday, Zinara board chairman Dr George Manyaya said preparations for the roll out of e-tolling had moved a gear up. “The recent coming into effect of SI 5 of 2023 which allows Zinara to upgrade and maintain tolling infrastructure as well as the environs is highly appreciated as it empowers the administration to effectively create a conducive business environment for its operations and now you can probe Zinara if you see potholes at tollgates. “The tender for e-tolling closed this month. This will see us rolling out e-tolling before year end and this modernisation effort will streamline toll collection, reduce waiting times and provide a more convenient and seamless experience for motorists. “This is highly appreciated as it empowers the administration to effectively create a conducive business environment for its operations.” For the year ended December 31, 2023, Zinara collected $868 billion against a revised budget of $768 billion. “As we continue to fund these key road projects, I urge our esteemed councils or rather road authorities to uphold the highest standards of quality,” Dr Manyaya said. “The works we deliver must be durable, reflecting the trust and investment of the Zimbabwean people. As you may be aware, the country suffered a significant road infrastructure maintenance gap which, as the new Zinara board, we are working flat out to ensure that we recover from in the not-so-distant future. “We are therefore cognisant that the money that we collect and disburse for the core purposes of road maintenance may not be adequate for the job at hand.”
