Travel and Tourism in Zimbabwe are on a path of urgently needed recovery, and the country is considered by most travelers as desirable and safe. However, there is a dark side on the promising current situation in Zimbabwe with a twist of tourism that is not visible by visitors. It involves the well known and respected former minister of tourism of Zimbabwe, Dr. Walter Mzembi.

Zimbabwe would be well adviced to build on the globally recognized achievements by their former tourism minister.

In Zimbabwe does a Magistrate allow a State Prosecutor ‘s movie style, flashy detailed presentation of how State Agents attempted to kidnap and abduct Dr. Walter Mzembi in an extrajudicial operation in South Africa.  No shame in their game, it would appear.

Stay with us. The Dr. Walter Mzembi story is complex.

Prosecutor Brian Vito of the Presidential Special Prosecution Unit, an office reporting directly to the new president of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, did just that.  We saw hyperbole in court and learned of special, dark forces at work in a neighboring country to bring Mzembi in at any cost. This prosecution unit appears to have become a vehicle of retribution and vengeance for the beleaguered President, who has a long agenda to punish all those who opposed his acrimonious contest for Zimbabwe ‘s top job in 2017.

Information not reported by an official, local media is the State assumed a very unreasonable, untruthful, vengeful position related to Dr. Walter Mzembi. Remarkably, after requesting his medical records, the State Prosecutor actually declared him dead and ran rather unseemly stories of his death and funeral.All of which was fake news, completely untrue. 

Mzembi was on sabbatical following surgery, however, he became the victim of state media bashing, and court theatrics of prosecution for over a year, some of which this publication covered.When the State Prosecutor dismisses notarized medical records and conditions supplied by another State, the Republic of South Africa, through its Department of International Relations and Cooperation, then it is a clear indicator the scales of justice are out of whack.

The level of hostility from the Zimbabwe Government towards Dr. Walter Mzembi appears to smack of barbarism and political persecution of an accused who no longer believes he can be guaranteed of a fair trial in his home jurisdiction.Clearly, a political dispute with the State through its prosecution has been declared, and the remedy can never be legal but political.  Inviting the interest of Interpol in political matters is another act of deception by the Zimbabwe Government which has been getting away, literally, with murder. 

We remind you of the shootings of unarmed civilians in demonstrations that rocked the country in August 2018 and January this year killing in cold blood 23 people including multiple women and children.Back to Mzembi. He cannot trust his medical records to be used appropriately by a prosecution team that very transparently is a puppet for the president.Let us also remind readers of the revulsion expressed with Zimbabwe on the fake death reporting of Vice President, Constantino Chiwenga a few months ago, also including many stories predicting his demise. 

There is clearly a pattern at work, with fake news being reported on people on trial. Conversely, there is no authentic reporting of facts through officially controlled media within the country.To set the facts straight, eTN spoke with Mzembi today. He is still indisposed and we believe should be allowed his full recovery. We learned his cancer treatment is ongoing and we wish him the best with his fight for health and life.  Mzembi has family and performing assets in Zimbabwe. eTN has learned from various sources that no legal counsel can guarantee his safety should he appear in Court.

Sources revealed, “G40 kingpins are buying guns to overthrow the Government of Zimbabwe, led by Ed Mnangagwa.”  These allegations were also made to the Cape Town Press Club during WTM Africa.Walter Mzembi was fired from the Zimbabwe Government in the November 2017 coup and was the Foreign Minister of the Robert Mugabe Government. He was also fired simultaneously from Zanu PF on allegations of belonging to an outfit that Party refers to as the G40 cabal.So Mzembi was declared dead by the State, and then when it turns out he is alive, he now is charged with by being part of a cabal buying guns to overthrow a government. 

This is Mzembi’s real life, not a novel, not fiction.How does the State expect Mzembi to defend these allegations, which carry the death sentence, when he is unwell with cancer, with the kangaroo court trial awaiting him?Court Prosecutor Brian Vito is on the record commenting: “Bring him in wearing chains and leg irons”.Astonishingly, yesterday’s report from Court Prosecutor Vito reveals the State attempted, with South African Police assistance, to abduct Mzembi, an attempt that failed.

A clash between the authentic prosecution unit of t Zimbabwe NPA and Mnangagwa’s Prosecution Unit to which Brian Vito belongs has been accused of gross interference and unprofessional conduct by the mainstream prosecution department. In the meantime, the delivery of fair and free justice suffers in Zimbabwe, and some of its victims Dr. Walter Mzembi and other targeted opponents could easily get hurt in the crossfire.When we spoke to Mzembi today he commented,  “Very sadly, only in Zimbabwe do such things happen. I have the fight of my life with cancer, and then for the second round, if I survive, I must fight against an insensitive and deceptive  government.”Dr. Walter Mzembi was a distinguished  Minister of Tourism who contributed significantly to Global Tourism Policy, he twice was Commission for Africa Chairperson and President in Session of the UNWTO in 2013-2015.  He is a very globally recognized champion and proactive promoter of Brand Zimbabwe.

The global travel and tourism industry remembers Mzembi for successfully hosting the 20th Session UNWTO General Assembly in 2013 at Victoria Falls. Mzembi quit global tourism as the first runner up candidate for Africa for the post of UNWTO Secretary-General, which was won by the current Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashville.

eTN will continue to closely monitor and report on Zimbabwe and Dr. Walter Mzembi.South Africa has an obligation to fend off extrajudicial forays into its territory by rogue administrations pursuing their political opponent. South Africa is seen as a beacon of freedom on the continent and in the world – and the world will be watching.