King Mzilikazi statue set for city

THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) in partnership with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) and Amakhosi Cultural Centre has come up with an ambitious project of establishing tourists' sites within the city to boost arrivals of foreign visitors ahead of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) conference set to be co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Zambia in August this year.

The lucrative venture will see the local authority erecting statues of King Mzilikazi and Queen Lozikeyi in the city and facelifting of some of the council's facilities.

The initial cost of the project has been pegged at $165 000.

According to the latest council report, nine sites have already been identified under the City Tourism Project.

These sites include the City Hall Foyer along Fife Street (The Lahlamkhonto Memorial panel and the Old Well), the Shangani Battle Cenotaph along Main Street, the 1989 Public Execution Tree and Inxwala Festival Ground also along Main Street, the Mzilikazi Memorial Fountain, Arts and Craft Centre, Makokoba Herbal Market, Stanley Hall and Square, Magwegwe Water Tower, Umguza Dam and Hillside Dam.

Tourists will have to pay US$3 for the tour of these sites.

"On Monday, 21 January 2013 a team from Bulawayo City Council, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority and Amakhosi Cultural Centre had visited the sites to see what was needed to spruce them up and make them tourist friendly.

"The team had conducted a needs analysis and possible requirements as Zimbabwe Tourism Authority had indicated that they could sponsor the rehabilitation of tourism sites," reads part of the report.

Among some of the facelifts that are envisaged is the erection of a statue of Queen Lozikeyi by the edge of the city hall fountain, the park area upgraded and maintained at all times and restoration of the city hall fountain,

"At the execution tree it had been noted that the tree was growing uncontrollably and would eventually grow into the buildings behind it, appropriate signage should be put by the tree to ensure that the public is aware of its significance to avoid its destruction.

"The Inxwala Festival grounds were to be turned into a low maintenance park with free growing indigenous trees to be left to grow, the park will be designed to have indigenous trees only and the ground cleared, and benches placed on different parts of the park as well as tall sculptures in random parts of the park," reads the report.

A statue of King Mzilikazi will also be put up at the Mzilikazi Memorial Fountain, Arts And Craft Centre where the fountain and flower roundabout will also be restored.

It was resolved that the Magwegwe Water Tower would be made the image for the City and not necessarily a tourist sight as it will be used in brochures together with the City Hall clock as a way of creating iconic images for the city.

"The Water Tower will be painted with bright colours to create a clear symbol of the city and the putting up of a climbing structure outside the reservoir area to create activity around the Bulawayo symbol as well as enable those who want to take pictures with climbing the steps being protected and at a fee," reads the minutes.

Commenting on these developments Bulawayo mayor, Councillor Thaba Moyo said they were a step in the right direction as it would ensure that the city bites into the number of tourists visiting the country and further boost revenue inflows.

"Frankly, this is a positive investment as we will be able to get more revenue from these tourists when they visit the city and it further improves the wholesome image of the city," said Clr Moyo.