eBusiness Weekly
Golden Sibanda in Harare and Tendai Rupapa in Kanyemba
A stampede is playing out almost quietly in Kanyemba, the north-most tip of Zimbabwe, where 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.
The largely sleepy backpacker’s yard, in the most remote parts of Mashonaland Central Province, has tickled the fancy of many a proactive investor who expect Kanyemba to soon be teeming with more human and vehicular traffic than wildlife.
This remote little border village is situated on the banks of the Zambezi River in the extreme north-eastern part of Zimbabwe, under the Mbire Rural District Council, forming a boundary corner with Zambia to the left and Mozambique on the right.
Until recently when roads were rehabilitated, access into or out of Kanyemba was by air charter, 4x4s or other sturdy vehicle along a long, rough and dusty road into a paradise teeming with tiny, small, rare, large and dangerous flora and fauna.
There is also the grandeur and adventures offered in reckless abandon by the benevolence, dangers and mysteries of and land around the Might Zambezi River, but all that is set to change with significant doses of modernity to alter the landscape.
Among major private enterprise targeting Kanyemba area is Zura Southern Africa, a United States company, set to establish a US$160 million multi-model international trade hub for Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia.
This is the first formally accepted major project in Zimbabwe by the US in nearly three decades.
But more investment is also expected to flow into areas across the sectors and sub-sectors of tourism, agriculture, mining, construction, infrastructure, real estate, hospitality and education to completely alter the face of the Kanyemba backwoods.
An enigma about Kanyemba has also been reports of existence of significant tonnes of precious uranium, a treasure trove long talked, but nothing has been done thus far to exploit it.
Mbire RDC chief executive Claudius Nyahuma Majaya, said in an interview that a lot has happened following the investment conferences they have held as well as exhibitions, trade fairs and agricultural shows they have participated in over the years.
“We have managed to attract a quite a lot of investors and a lot of interest especially from Government and other sectors of the state,” Majaya told Business Weekly this week.
“So far we have had an interest, quite overwhelming from our own local investors, we have had people that want to construct hotels, people that want to do lodges people that want to do trucking inn (facilities), service stations, but those are mostly local,” he said.
What’s the catch?
Mbire and Kanyemba in particular, are poised to see significant traffic of humans from various corners of the world once plans to build a Y-link bridge that will facilitate passage between Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique across the Zambezi River.
Apart from the boundless adventures potential from fishing on Zambezi River and safari activities due to the array of game, Kanyemba will attract more traffic once the bridge across Zambezi is built as it will cut the distance from Zimbabwe into Central Africa by 600 kilometres.
“We are not sure yet as of time (completion of bridge), but what has happened up to date is to try and create a platform which may not necessarily be a bridge but just to enhance trade between Zambia and Zimbabwe for the first time and then move on to Mozambique,” Majaya said.
“Like indicated before, using the Harare Kanyemba route is shorter than using the current convectional Harare-Chirundu Road; (because) you will reduce your distance into central Africa by about 600km.
“So, eventually what will happen is we are trying to attract the volume of traffic currently using Harare-Chirundu to use this route so we are likely to experience a boost in terms of development on the highway from Harare to kanyemba and already that interest has started,” he added.
The interest at the moment is to try and make sure that trucks cross to and from Zimbabwe or Zambia and then link that up with Malawi and the rest of central Africa.
Interest in Kanyemba grows
“We have had an overwhelming response for Kanyemba in terms of applications for pieces of land from those (investors) that want to do business in the district and that has also happened along the highway where we have other places.
“We have places like Mushumbi, Mahuwe and even Angwa Bridge where we have said investors can start developments while waiting for the finalisation of the land use plan for Kanyemba,” Majaya added.
However, Majaya pointed out that most of the prospective investors stampeding to get pieces of land do not have money, but want to gain ownership and then seek foreign partners.
On their part, Majaya said plans were afoot to develop strategic infrastructure in the area ahead of the anticipated boom in business, traffic and activity by building an airport to enhance accessibility and golf courses to cater for visitors and leisure.
“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 also need to have those facilities that enable investors to while up time when they are not on the river.
“So, that’s the reason why we thought that maybe if we have a golf course we are also going to be able to attract golfers to come and see the Zambezi River, but they will have time to do sports activities,” he said..
Government has instructed Mbire RDC to visit Victoria Falls to have an appreciation of the kind of a town they supposed to develop in Kanyemba and nearby areas.
“So we are saying you also need an airport and what we have done so far is we have approached CAAZ (Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe) to come down here and work with our local engineers to cite the airport, so that’s what we are doing at the moment,” he said.
Majaya said Zambezi River was still the major product and centre of attraction while the predominantly remote Kanyemba was remains a virgin area compared to resorts like Kariba and the Victoria Falls.
“So, there is a lot that people can do in terms of new initiatives and in terms of businesses, there’s almost nothing on the ground at the moment so we are open to have got new initiatives.”
Mbire RDC and central government have since agreed to do proper land use planning before allocation of pieces of land get starts. The RDC is thus going through a planning process, starting with a concept note, master plan and eventually layout plan.
Thereafter the council can start demarcating pieces of land and issuing out. “So those are the processes we are going through at the moment.
“As soon as we are through with the processes then we start allocating,” Majaya.
