Visa counters were next. It took us an hour to get a 30 day visa. We explained that we needed 33 day or a double entry visa, as we had booked to visit Mozambique three days into the second month. No way. We would have to re-apply. Trying to find the poky, shabby visa office in Linquenda House is a nightmare.
The dual carriage airport road started for the Africa Cup of Nations is still not complete and has only one working lane. Bashed street light poles lean drunkenly. Corruption is to blame.
Parking in Harare is chaotic. The pavements are a disgrace: potholed, broken concrete slabs, exposed electric wires and water pipes, vendors squatting everywhere, trying to eke out an existence because of the 95% unemployment.
Despite its wonderful tourist potential, even the best resorts have an 11% occupancy, mainly Zimbabweans. We were the only outsiders. We had excellent fishing, accommodation, service, cuisine and game viewing.
In Nyanga Mont Claire golf course has only 15 regulars, the other 215 had their farms stolen and had to move away. The beautiful Vumba hotels were empty! The Leopard Rock golf course with incredible views over Mozambique was in superb championship condition – only costs $15 to play – but the hotel was empty.
We looked over the new Chinese-built hotel in Mutare – all built with Chinese imported materials, chandeliers, doors, light fittings and furniture. A very modern conference room, but not a paying guest anywhere. Why build new hotels when all the others are starved of tourists?
Travelling through farmland there were signs of the odd late crop but most maize will need late rains to reach maturity. Starvation will be worse than ever this year. There are over 2,000 farm dams to irrigate from and high capacity boreholes. Why are the Chinese trying to farm that huge, once highly productive farm near Chinhoyi? Are the locals not capable?
Mugabe should visit Zambia to see what excellent commercial farmers can do. Huge trucks are laden with food for export. The economy is booming. The stolen affluence of the privileged few in Zimbabwe will be short-lived until a complete change comes about.
Driving around farming areas, one sees pine and gum plantation stripped of trees. Nothing replanted. New coppice growth unmanaged, productive lands fallow and devoid of even livestock
No land title or long-term secured leases, or security of tenure, means no stable asset or collateral for bank loans or investment. Look at Nigeria, Somalia, Mali, The Congo and now Zimbabwe. The rich steal to become richer, the poor steal to just survive. No employment. No investment. No real agricultural policy. All those wonderful farm dams build by commercial farmers were over flowing. The first class beef production was equal to any country for export.
Who will start the reverse, where there is trust, respect, truth, and a decent standard of living for all? – Phil Lawrence, UK
Post published in: Letters to the Editor