eBusiness Weekly
Kumbirai Tarusarira
In the extreme northeast, along the mighty Zambezi River, where Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique meet, upstream of Lake Cabora Bassa, there is a small rest camp —Kanyemba — in Mbire District.
This little border location is situated on the banks of the Zambezi River, but strategic when it comes to the future of trade for Central African countries dependent on the road link with major sea ports in South Africa.
Kanyemba is gradually mutating to become a critical umbilical cord linking South and north of the Zambezi River, cutting the distance to Central Africa by over 600 kilometres.
Besides emerging into a major economic centre, Kanyenya has made the headlines with reports that a prestigious golf course field is set to be constructed in the Mbire District.
The giant course, to be located on vast swathes of land overlooking the mighty Zambezi River, will be a world attraction, redecorating the scenic environs of the usually scorching wildly part of the Zambezi Valley.
Golf is a $84,1 billion industry and impacts nearly two million jobs. In Africa, Nigeria has 51, Kenya 42 and Morocco 40 golf courses and Zimbabwe will soon be adding Kanyemba to its current 39 such facilities.
The golf course, according to Mbire Rural District Council chief executive officer Claudius Nyahuma Majaya, is among key tourist attraction infrastructure worth millions of dollars earmarked for the district.
“Kanyemba is undergoing major developments and we intend to develop a golf course that will create a platform to entertain investors as well as attract local and international golfers.
“We intend to do that because we are actually riding on the major product, which is the Zambezi River. So we are saying for it to be a complete product, you need to have those facilities that enable investors to while up time when they are not on the river,” said Majaya while to speaking to Business Weekly.
He, however, did not disclose the potential investors with interest to develop the facility.
In Kanyemba, prospective land owners are reportedly stepping on each other’s toes in a mad-rush to own strategic land pieces ahead of an expected economic boom.
In an effort to advance sport, arts and recreational activities in the area, the council plans to establish elite sporting grounds that sources say will cover not less than 100 hectares of land.
There are also plans to develop strategic infrastructure in the area ahead of the anticipated boom in business, traffic and human activity by building an airport to enhance accessibility, hotels and lodges and fuel facilities among other developments.
“So, that’s the reason why we thought that maybe if we have a golf course, we are going to be able to attract golfers to come and see the Zambezi River, but they will have time to do sport activities,” said Majaya.
There are many other elite sports that can be developed in the area to attract high profile businesspeople among them water sports which include boat cruising, rafting and fishing.
Golf has been played in Zimbabwe since the early white settlers arrived in the 19th century. The first official golf club was founded in Bulawayo in 1895 and there are more than 50 golf courses in Zimbabwe.
However, some of the golf facilities in farming communities need attention as they have been neglected for a long period.
