By Taurai Mazwi
The new dispensation is working tirelessly to ensure that the country is well resourced in every sector by ensuring the smooth flow of business in its drive to modernise, mechanise and develop the country so as to achieve vision 2030 of becoming a middle income economy.
The purchase of the two Boeing 282-seater 777-200ER from Malaysia has proven that the new dispensation is moving forward in its quest to attain vision 2030. Truth be told, the new dispensation means business.
However, it is funny how people are quick to judge and criticise the new dispensations’ efforts. As soon as aeroplane landed, noises were made on social media with detractors saying it is an old aircraft which was bought during the late former President Robert Mugabe’s tenure and that the new dispensation is riding on Mugabe’s legacy.
The point is neither here nor there, but the positive development should be applauded all the same. The aeroplane come back during the new dispensation and the country is looking forward to the positives going to be derived from this development in our quest to improve and revive the country’s airline and image.
The problem with the country’s detractors is that they are quick to criticise without reviewing all the facts. It is a fact, the Mugabe era failed, that is what the new dispensation is trying by all means to fix, all that was broken and falling apart.
Government is committed to reviving its parastatals with Air Zimbabwe being top on the list, as it can play an important role in boosting the tourism industry. The revival of the parastatal will also feed into the economic growth and development of the country.
The purchase will see the Air Zimbabwe reviving its long routes like London and China. This will surely see the inflow of tourists and foreign currency boost, both of which the country needs to revive its economy. The coming in of tourists will definitely help the country’s GDP with the inflow of foreign country. All this the detractors do not see as they are bent on just opposing and sabotaging Government’s efforts.
The new plane will boost business opportunities for the country and this is in line with the Zimbabwe is open for business mantra. The new addition will ease doing of business in the country. Zimbabwe will never be same again, it is reaching new and greater heights thanks to the new dispensation.
The new dispensation is committed in seeing parastatals like the Air Zimbabwe being revived and re-equipped as they form the backbone of economic revival. Though a lot still needs to be done for the airline one is hopeful that the plane and the one which is coming in the not distant future signal the new era at the national airline to reclaim its position of being one of the best in Africa.
Air transport is important in enabling the achievement of economic growth and development. Air transport facilitates integration into the global economy and provides vital connectivity on a national, regional, and international scale. It helps generate trade, promote tourism, and create employment opportunities and that is general knowledge which some people seem not to have.
The high inflows of tourists will place Zimbabwe on a better position on the map and on the high rankings of it being the best tourist destinations in the world. Bloomberg recently listed Zimbabwe among top 24 destinations to visit this year, even though there has been widespread negative publicity from foreign media.
Zimbabwe has won an award for the most sustainable tourist destination at the International Tourism Bourse in Germany and was also voted the third must-visit destination after Sri Lanka and Germany.
National Geographic has also acknowledged the country as being one of the prime tourist destinations in the world.
Brighter days are beckoning at the national carrier.
