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Ncube sets aside $3.7 billion for tourism and environment in 2022

Published

4 years ago

November 26, 2021

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Finance minister Mthuli Ncube allocated $3.7 billion in the 2022 national budget to the Tourism and Environment ministry unveiled on Thursday as Zimbabwe plots the revival of the tourism industry, which has suffered the brunt of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In his proposed $927.3 billion budget statement, Ncube said the Tourism Revolving Fund would be crucial in the revival of the industry.

The Fund was set up last year at the height of the Covid-19 lockdowns, but most tourism players say they are yet to benefit.

Ncube expressed optimism that Zimbabwe’s tourism industry was on a recovery path.

“In 2022, the sector is expected to register higher recovery levels with growth projected at 18.8 percent, mainly driven by full resumption of domestic and international travel, removal of the country from the red list, resumption of flights into Harare by major airlines and government incentives that will facilitate investment,” Ncube said.

“Furthermore, enhanced destination marketing, through improved marketing programmes and market representation to generate demand in traditional and emerging source markets that show early recovery such as the Middle East, Asia, Eastern Europe would be prioritised,

“In addition, the establishment of the Tourism Revolving Fund will be expedited and therefore, the 2022 national budget has allocated $3.7 billion to the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry for the above programmes and activities.”

Ncube said tourism was expected to recover by 6.7 percent in 2021 with room occupancy rates anticipated to reach 22 percent while bed occupancy is expected to increase by 16 percent by the end of 2021.

The growth, he said, would be mainly driven by domestic tourism following the relaxation of Covid-19 travel restrictions, increased vaccination rates and promotional activities.

He also allocated $54.2 billion to support climate change related programmes and projects.

“As such, the 2022 national budget will fund projects and programmes that mainstream climate change action in order to realise the revised nationally determined contribution (NDC) already submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in

2021,” Ncube said.

Meanwhile, Ncube said the government has commenced the procurement of five weather radars valued at US$6.1 million, of which US$4.2 million has already been paid.

He said factory inspections and training of engineers has been scheduled for December this year paving way for delivery of three radars during the first quarter of 2022.

“The 2022 national budget is, therefore, setting aside $155 million to pay for the outstanding balance,” he said.

“The Development Projects Management Information System currently under development will further reinforce tracking of climate finance inflows through capturing of all climate finance related projects and programmes.”

Ncube added: “The recurrence of droughts, floods and cyclones point to the urgent need for early warning systems among other critical interventions required to reduce vulnerabilities to extreme weather conditions in light of climate change.

“This is also important for agriculture planning and aviation purposes”.

He also set aside $240 million for rehabilitation and upgrading of meteorological stations’ infrastructure and airports targeting Victoria Falls, Bulawayo and Harare.

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Renowned conservationist Alan Elliott passes away at 86

Published

2 days ago

August 1, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The conservation world is mourning the loss of Alan Elliott, a pioneering conservationist and tourism operator who passed away this morning around 2AM at Materdei Hospital in Bulawayo.

Elliott, affectionately known as “Mandebele,” was 86 years old.

Photo by Charlene Hewat

Elliott’s contributions to conservation and tourism in Zimbabwe are immeasurable. He was one of the first people to bring tourism to Hwange, Zimbabwe’s largest national park, and founded Touch the Wild, a tourism operation that hosted numerous celebrities, including the Queen and Prince Philip.

We then contacted Charlene Hewat, a close associate of Elliott’s Presidential Elephant Research Trust (PERT), to explain further about his conservation work. Hewat described Elliott as an extraordinary conservationist who dedicated his life to protecting elephants. “Alan’s legacy is imprinted on the wild landscapes he loved so dearly and protected so fiercely,” Hewat said in a Facebook post.

In an interview, Hewat elaborated on Elliott’s work, highlighting his efforts to protect elephants in Hwange. “He went and got a decree from President (Robert) Mugabe to protect the presidential elephants, and he received that decree, and they agreed that they would not shoot any elephants within the Dete Hwange area,” Hewat explained.

Elliott’s passing has sent shockwaves throughout the conservation community, with many paying tribute to his remarkable legacy. “He’s a legend. Everybody knows him,” Hewat said. “He was an MP in Hwange, spoke fluent Ndebele, and knew a lot of the ministers. He’s just an amazing man, a legend for Zimbabwe.”

As a testament to his enduring legacy, Elliott had asked Hewat to carry on his work with the Presidential Elephant Research Trust. “It was his vision to promote young Zimbabwean researchers, and that’s something that I share and think we can take forward for the country and for the youth,” Hewat said.

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UPDATE: ZimParks rangers injured in elephant attack receiving medical treatment

Published

2 days ago

August 1, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) spokesperson, Tinashe Farawo has provided an update on the condition of two rangers who were injured earlier this week by elephants in the Sengwa, Chirisa Safari area.

The rangers, who were investigating a reported case of a snared buffalo, encountered a herd of elephants with calves that charged at them.

According to the update, one of the rangers has undergone treatment for his left arm and is currently in a stable condition.

The other ranger had a successful abdominal operation and is currently receiving surgery for his broken left arm and left leg.

The incident highlights the dangers faced by wildlife rangers in Zimbabwe. In a similar incident in March 2025, a Zimparks ranger was killed by an elephant in Kariba during a routine patrol in the Gatche-gatche area.

The authority has encouraged people to minimize movements at night to reduce the risk of human-wildlife conflicts.

National

Zimbabwe on track for 6% growth as economy recovers from drought

Published

2 days ago

August 1, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY REUTERS

Zimbabwe is on track to achieve a forecasted 6% economic growth in 2025 helped by good agricultural output and strong commodity prices, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said on Thursday.

The Southern African country’s economy has shown signs of recovery in the first half of the year following a severe drought and currency turbulence in 2024 that pushed GDP growth down to 2%.

“Given the positive economic developments during the period January to June, we are confident that the projected economic growth of 6% alluded to in the 2025 National Budget is achievable,” Ncube told parliament in a mid-year budget review.

“All sectors of the economy are expected to record positive growth in 2025, mainly on account of a favourable agriculture season, improved electricity generation, stable exchange rate and inflation rate,” he said.

He did not give an update on the budget deficit, which was seen at 0.4% of gross domestic product in 2025 during the budget forecast last November.

Zimbabwe’s fiscal position remains under strain from grain imports, drought relief spending and the public sector wage bill. While the government has collected more revenue than in the same period last year, analysts say containing the deficit may prove difficult without new fiscal measures.

The local currency, the ZiG, launched in April 2024 to replace the Zimbabwe dollar, has largely remained stable against the U.S. dollar but is still overshadowed by widespread use of the dollar in everyday transactions.

Ncube reiterated the government’s commitment to the gold-backed unit and said the currency had benefited from tight monetary and fiscal policies.