Maunganidze trivialised UNWTO: Mzembi

Comment & Analysis
Former tourism Perm Sec, Sylvester Maunganidze was redeployed for making comments that reduced UNWTO to a “sex expo”, a Cabinet minister has said.

Gweru – Former tourism permanent secretary, Sylvester Maunganidze was redeployed for trivialising the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) after making comments  that reduced it to a “sex expo”, a Cabinet minister has said.

Report by Blessed Mhlanga &Rutendo Mawere

Tourism and Hospitality Industry minister, Walter Mzembi said Maunganidze’s remarks that delegates to the UNWTO would be angered if they came to Zimbabwe and failed to find licensed prostitutes was an insult to the event and women.

“Maunganidze insulted world leaders by trivialising the UNWTO, seeing it as a platform for them to go around shopping for prostitutes,” he said.

“Even my wife was taken aback and asked me if we were given prostitutes at every other world leaders’ meeting we attended … he even insulted ladies by saying all they could offer was prostitution, but surprisingly, women’s organisations have remained silent. Instead of seeing the bigger picture, Maunganidze saw the need to license prostitutes. He had simply lost vision and that is why we redeployed him.”

Mzembi dismissed allegations that Maunganidze was targeted for exposing the ministry’s lack of capacity and preparedness to host the UNWTO.

“The things that Maunganidze spoke about are not even part of the bid but as a leadership we have a vision of surprising our guests with infrastructure that will last generations, like the Rainbow Towers,” he said.

“Maunganidze had lost vision; that is why he was redeployed and we are now in the process of rehabilitating him because we love him.”

Maunganidze told Parliament that Zimbabwe and Zambia were not ready to jointly host the event and that the two countries had lied to win the bid to host the event in August next year.

He could not be reached for comment.