By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Nqobizitha Ndhlovu says he is happy with progress being made to restore old Bulawayo National Monuments.
Speaking during his tour recently, Minister Ndhlovu said the area which was destroyed by fire some 10 years ago, was important in telling Zimbabwe’s heritage story.
“We came here as two ministries — the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality together with Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage to assess the progress in terms of reconstructing this area.
“We have been here several times we have our own set targets just to make sure that this iconic monument is restored.
“We believe it has great tourism potential but also it tells a big story about our heritage so we are taking it seriously as the two ministries working together, including our parastatals, National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, ZTA, Zim parks, Forestry Commission, EMA, Allied Timbers. We have come together just to make sure there is progress here,” he said.
“Some bit of work has taken place since the last time we were here we are quite happy that the road has been done the road was very bad, in fact, the last I came here I took longer from the turn of which is 7 kilometer stretch to get here than it took me took me from the same turn-of into the city centre.”
The national parks donated a grader while some other local miners also contributed towards the restoration process.
“Other institutions that I have mentioned already contributed in terms of resources. We saw that the borehole is now working.
“We have put up the two water tanks there were donations, in fact pledges that were done by various institutions mainly within my ministry and they have delivered.
“We have seen the logs, we have seen the poles, thatch grass. It’s all on site we have to look at minor bottlenecks that were highlighted today mainly to do with our procurement issues,” Ndhlovu said.
The restoration of the monument is part of a broader #ZimBho campaign aimed at promoting domestic tourism.
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