Zimbabwe’s economy is struggling to recover from years of mismanagement and looting. At an event in October 2010, tourism Minister Walter Mzembi lauded the potential of the “peaceful and apolitical” tourism sector to be at the fore of this recovery.

A Mail & Guardian article in December highlighted how Zimbabwe’s economic challenges have affected the tourism industry – things like shortages, power cuts, potholes clearly make it difficult to run a business. And finding the right balance between what you charge your guests (and who, if anyone, can therefore afford to come to your destination) and what you pay your workers (and therefore how motivated and engaged they are at work) can be difficult.

But a successful tourism industry also needs tourists – and tourists, as Mzembi intimated, typically prefer peace and stability.

So factors like the “Zimbabwe Mafia” which targets cars parked at the Harare airport picking up visiting holiday makers don’t inspire confidence in would-be tourists. Similarly, events like the invasion of recreational destinations at Lake Chivero such as Kuimba Shiri on the weekend don’t send an inviting message of safety and stability. It particularly doesn’t help if the police, when called, do nothing.

If Zimbabwe values its economic recovery – which it should do, if we are ever to move out of the current bifurcated economy of impoverished majority on the one hand, and South African import dependent comprador class on the other – it needs to do more to support Zimbabweans to buy into, establish, and maintain tourism locations for a variety of local and international guests, and less to scare off would-be tourists.

Maybe sell some of Chombo’s houses or farms acquired by Zanu PF chefs? Or swing a bit of cash from diamonds towards salaries? Turn in the Mercs and Prados and buy more modest vehicles? Quit the trips and stay home for awhile?

Zimbabwe’s fiscal cupboard remains bare and the unity government will struggle to meet its wage bill for public sector workers in January 2011, finance minister Tendai Biti told the inaugural Global Poverty Summit in Johannesburg on 19 January.

“For the month of January we have only collected US$64 million and we are supposed to pay $101 million [public sector wage bill]. Where we are going to get the money to close the gap? I don’t know. I have made it very clear that we can only eat what we have killed and no more or no less.”

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What this simply means it cannot be business as usual. We now more than ever need City Mothers, City Sisters and City Youths because the City Fathers have failed to prove the mantle of real fatherhood. Maybe let’s shout out for the real fathers to come out and arise. Real Fatherhood comes with responsibility, responsiveness, sensitivity, caring and presence at each & every nook, mishap, or need in the community/family of the urban environment.
- Eddington, Harare

How many factions does the MDC as we thought we knew it now have, that is adding from the mudslinging that has followed the elevation of Welshman Ncube who elbowed out Mutambara?

Is this not yet another tragedy of African politics that pretenders to the throne turn against each other and take their eyes off the prize, that is unseat an unpopular democracy? Small wonder then that frustrated analysts and kosher opposition politicians are always quick to say Zanu PF has mastered the game and creates these spoilers to enfeeble what would have been the party that forms the next government. So, when elections are eventually called be sure to see 20 or even 50 parties emerging from the woodwork to claim their place in the ballot as has been seen elsewhere in Africa. They are quick to call it democracy but it is rather more of multiparty elections than multiparty politics because, outside election season they hibernate and are known only to their spouses. But still that’s a big MAYBE.

Now with the numerous MDCs who will fight it out with other unknown political outfits, who can write Zanu PF’s epitaph?

I went into the Starbrook Bar/Cafe in the departure lounge of the Harare International Airport to while away the time when the plane to Joburg was delayed. I have to tell you that the Starbrook doesn’t have much going for it apart from the amusing fact that a presidential portrait is sandwiched between a framed photo of Coke on one side and Fanta on the other. As some people may know I’m dead against presidential portraits of any description whether its here, or in the land of Big Ears. But it seems real odd to me that in Zimbabwe, if you take the time to notice, you’ll see Mugabe’s portrait, often in a state of disrepair (yellow and old – a bit like my teeth) hanging squonk in all sorts of strange places. Vacuum repair shops for example, or large supermarket chains, or, choke, some restaurants. Seeing as presidential portraits are supposedly meant to reinforce the position and power of the Leader, I’ve always been surprised that the president’s foot soldiers don’t move around demanding that those who have hung the face, hang him with dignity.

But of course I like the fact that we get a laugh out of it.

If you spot Bob in strange or unusual places, why not send a Tweet to @kubatana

Harare used to have public toilets situated at many suburban shopping centers. But these days the toilets are often locked. I guess the City of Harare doesn’t want people sleeping in them. The City also can’t supply water to them. So rather keep the toilets shut than have them stinking up the place. Of course this makes some sense but people passing through shopping centers or people vending in many of the vending communities that coexist next to shopping centers, shit and pee in the bush.

I’m convinced that the Mayor of Harare and the other head honchos don’t ever walk the streets of Harare. If they did they’d very promptly “vomit their gulls” as Tendai (below) suggests because the stench and dirt in our City has reached unacceptable levels.

Tendai makes a good suggestion when he asks private companies to put up refuse bins and fix the public toilets. But one has to ask why should private companies do this, and in so doing, let the City of Harare off the hook? If private companies have to step in time and time again to provide services that the City of Harare should provide, why do we have an expensive Mayor and his entourage?

It’s about time that a certified auditing firm audit revenue received by the City of Harare together with their expenditure. For example the City of Harare is going mad allowing a gross number of advertising billboards to be erected in Harare. But where does the rental money for these billboards go? These rentals can be used specifically to resuscitate public toilets.

Here’s Tendai getting things off his chest:

Toilets and refuse bins

It is high time City of Hare make a stand in 2011 to change the status of our city and bring sanity to the environment. Where are the refuse bins? Down town you hardly see one. Imagine, as our population increases I would think that in the City of Harare’s plans, toilets would increase according to the increased number of people. And with the few toilets we have can everyone afford 50 cents?

One is bound to vomit one’s gull. There is a strong stench of human waste especially when it is raining.

Please if there are companies or organizations reading this letter I appeal to you that you make your toilets available to the public and work on a program, or even build toilets to make all Zimbabwean cities better places. Even if each Zimbabwean organization can provide a litter drum painted with keep our city clean.