via Mzembi’s dream needs govt support – DailyNews Live 7 September 2014
HARARE – Zimbabweans should commend Tourism minister Walter Mzembi for his ambitious plan to have the country host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
Mzembi revealed Zimbabwe’s interest of hosting the tournament after Libya pulled out for the second time.
“We are dreaming, Mr Speaker, of mega events in the future that will improve hotel accommodation, rooms, hospitality and basically everything in this country,” Mzembi told lawmakers during a question-and-answer session.
“One of them which I had already pronounced and Parliament must take us dead serious on it is the hosting of the World Cup in 2034 by Zimbabwe. For your information honourable members, this project is already inspiring infrastructural projects.”
The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has invited new bids for 2017 with countries wishing to host the tournament having until September 30, to send in expressions of interest.
Ethiopia, Kenya and Ghana have already announced their interest in hosting the 2017 edition.
Earlier this year, Mzembi also revealed that he hoped the country would bid for the 2034 Fifa World Cup.
Hosting the 2017 Afcon finals will be a major coup for a country like Zimbabwe that has remained stagnant for the past 15 years owing to a crumbling economy.
For Zimbabwe’s bid to be a success, both the government and the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) must convince Caf that the country has the capacity to stage such a prestigious event.
This means there is a lot of development that must be carried out on the country’s infrastructure that includes roads, telecoms, stadia, hotels and hospitals.
This infrastructural development will not only benefit Zifa but the general Zimbabwe public that will continue to use the facilities once the Afcon tournament has ended.
For Mzembi’s dream to come true, there is need for all Zimbabweans to work together and ensure that the country presents a water-tight bid that will impress the Caf executive.
After all the troubles Zimbabweans have faced in the last 15 years since the start of the economic meltdown, hosting the Afcon tournament is likely to bring back smiles on our faces.
It will show the rest of the world that this country has a lot to offer despite the economic and political huddles we have gone through.
COMMENTS
2017 there won’t exist any zpf for sure !!!!!!!!!!
Silly to think of the Africa cup of Nations with 90% of the population unemployed.
Pity Mzembi is in ZPF. His talents and zeal are squandered by his own party.
Dream on Dailynews, dream on
The overated Mzembi of the Disney Fun Park at Victoria Falls is at it again. is this a priority?
Give him $5billion dollars to build stadia and related infrustructure and watch SA and China take it all. Leaving us with venues for musical concerts like the Aquatic Complex.
Any Minister who is not talking about creating permanent longterm skilled employment through reindustrialising the economy is loony and should be ignored.
Can someone please tell this clueless Minister that we already have the product to attract the high networth tourist we need. its called the big 5. I would add the weather and relative security to that.