Source: Massive investment for Kanyemba | The Herald
Isdore Guvamombe-Assistant Editor
The Government’s move to build a resort town in Kanyemba has received a
major boost after a United Kingdom-based investor proposed to build a
world class golf leisure resort and supporting facilities at an estimated
cost of US$1,3 billion.Leisure Investment International (Ltd), previously known as Professional
Golf Course Designers (Ltd) has proposed to build one of the biggest
resorts in Africa, South of the Sahara, with a hotel, conference and
wellness centre, an 18-hole championship golf course, the golf course’s
residential property, a wildlife research centre, a solar farm, a tourism
centre, a netball championship centre and a nine-hole golf academy.Kanyemba is Zimbabwe’s northernmost point, diagonally opposite the
confluence of Luangwa and Zambezi rivers, with the Zambian town of Luangwa
to the north and Mozambique’s Zumbo town to the east and had until the New
Dispensation remained undeveloped and remote, despite harbouring numerous
opportunities.The development of a new town started two years ago and the golf resort
investment is certainly going to be a big game changer that will go a long
way in announcing the arrival of the new town of Kanyemba to the
international scene.In a letter dated March 21, 2021 and addressed to Mbire Rural District
Council chief executive Mr Cloudius Majaya, Leisure Investment
International Ltd co-directors Andrew Mair and Charles Shelton, said they
had consulted many local and international golf companies and Kanyemba got
the nod as the best site.“We believe the Mbire Zambezi Golf Resort will add impetus to complement
various concrete and tangible efforts by Government to transform Zimbabwe
into a middle income economy by 2030.“Through visits by our colleagues and our strong links with national golf
administrators in Zimbabwe, we have identified Kanyemba as a prime
destination with huge potential to this proposed world-class golf
facility.“The Mbire Zambezi Golf Resort will strategically cater for the towns of
Luangwa and Zumbo in the immediate vicinity thus promoting cross border
movement of people and the development of trade between Mozambique, Zambia
and Zimbabwe and the region at large,’’ reads the letter.Asked for comment, Mr Majaya said he was excited by the move, which he
said would change the fortunes of the district and the country.“We are very excited by this development that will change our fortunes by
bringing serious ripple-effect investments. It is going to improve on
revenue streams for the council as well as create employment for the
locals, notwithstanding the downstream activities that come along with the
golf course.“It is also going to add value to Kanyemba as a resort town in particular,
and Mbire in general. We look forward to working with Leisure Investment
International group to make the project a success in line with Vision
2030,’’ said Mr Majaya.Leisure Investment International is known the world over for designing and
building some of the best resorts and the facility in Kanyemba will be
built along the lines of the set up at Elephant Hills Hotel and Resort in
Victoria Falls.According to the letter, Leisure Investment International will bring
experts in business planning and feasibility studies, masterplan
development from concept to detailed design, architecture based on proven
designs, engineering in integrated designs, and operational phase,
including staff training and development.“As a group, we are able to provide a multi-discipline team of architects,
urban planners, engineers, administrators and environmentalists with wide
ranging experiences in the African continent, which will enable the
successful delivery and support for this project.“Our intention is that we will travel to Zimbabwe to continue with
developing the proposal by meeting key individuals as soon as the Covid-19
pandemic has scaled down,’’ reads the letter.Kanyemba has been a crossing point with home made or conventional boats to
and from Zambia.The Government has been working on the new town of Kanyemba since 2018 and
the eastern side towards Zumbo in Mozambique provides the rugged and
scenic terrain that will make any discerning golfer green with envy.Kanyemba also provides a lot of opportunities given its vast Zambezi River
frontage and surrounding wildlife hunting concessions in Usanga, Dande
North, Dande South, Masoka, Masawu and Mupedzapasi camps.Kanyemba also has access, just a spitting distance away to Chewore
National Park and Mana Pools World Heritage Site, while the dinosaur
fossils at Kapirinhengo as well as the semi-nomadic Doma people give
credence to cultural tourism.The vast untapped salt pans at the intersection of Mwanzamutanda and
Zambezi rivers, to the west of the new town, provide credence to the
historical movement of the founder of the Mutapa Empire dying on his
escapade to conquer the salt pans.The Dande fossilised forest, where trees turned into stones, is a grandeur
that adds value to Kanyemba.When all is said and done, the new golf resort will find a lot of support.
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