via The Zimbabwean – Confusion Continues at UNWTO
Confusion and chaos continued to reign supreme again today at the UNWTO General Assembly meeting as diplomats and delegates found difficulties in registering and accreditation processes.
by Tony Saxon
The diplomats and delegates from Zambia, Angola and Tanzania said they had to wait for more than three hours in long queues where they accused the security staff including police of intimidation.
They blamed the security staff for failing to execute their duties as the diplomats and delegates were referred from one queue to another.
Charity Chasukwa a diplomat from Tanzania said: “We do not deserve such kind of treatment and we were not expecting this from the Zimbabwean officials. We have been in the queue for long hours without being given necessary assistance. I do not know what is taking hem so long in accrediting us.”
Kenneth Basilio from Kenya said confusion was the order of the day during the opening days that began from yesterday and today.
“Yesterday, my colleagues failed to be accredited and again today it is the same situation. Everything is just boring here. We have been waiting for long in the queue and the security staff here is very overzealous. I think they did not do their home work properly,” said a visibly angry Basilio.
Local and foreign journalists also expressed concerns over the accreditation process.
Joseph Mwamba a Zambian journalist said: “Since yesterday and today it is confusion all over. The security staff is not co-operative at all. This is being worsened by some police officers who are harassing and intimidating the delegates instead of assisting them. “
Performing artistes to entertain guests were also caught in the web of confusion some of them failed to be accredited.
“What was the reason for them to make us register on line? We registered online and they approved us now we are facing problems in registering here. We have been practicing a lot for this occasion and now we are facing difficulties in registering, “said Crispin Chongo leader of the Zambian ndongwe traditional dancing group.
Asked to comment an overzealous member from the security staff only identified as Nhongo said: “This is what we were told to do and we are just following orders from our superiors. This is how the process goes you cannot tell me what to do. Just do your work and I will do mine.”
Zimbabwe is taking the event to market its image in tourism, but with the chas and confusion that marked the opening stages delegates and diplomats from other countries might have a different picture of Zimbabwe altogether.
Zimbabwe and Zambia are co-hosting the big event that will end next Friday.
COMMENTS
“Couldn’t organise a piss-up in a brewery” are words which spring to mind.
a screw in a whore house springs to mind.
Ndapota musatinyadzisa varume veZRP…you are dealing with delegates and you can’t expect an order to monitor ‘line rechingwa’ to be the same with that for diplomats. What’s the point of inviting people for a conference when we intend to mistreat them.
Please act like grown ups and show that you are as educated as Africa think you are and put logic first before your bad interpretation of the so called orders. Nxa constable Nhongo mandinyadzisa shuwa.
Please just do something that we can all be proud of for once.
The apotheosed eleitists are being treated like ordinary people. Waaa; sob, choke; waaa.
Sounds about par for the course for ZANU-PF. Bite the hand that feeds you.
just like Beit Bridge then, now you know how the average tourist is treated…
zim gvt what can you do nhai??
Umm… well you could elect a better leader to start with.