During the recent public consultations for the 2026 Tourism Bill, industry stakeholders expressed significant apprehension regarding the proposed legislation. The primary concern centers on the centralization of excessive power within the office of the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, which many argue lacks the necessary checks and balances for transparent governance.
Stakeholders identified several critical areas where these proposed powers could prove problematic:
- Threats to Institutional Independence: Under Clause 9, the Minister would be granted the power to issue binding policy directives to the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) Board. Critics argue that this concentration of power threatens the ZTA's autonomy and effectively usurps the authority of the Board.
- Control of the Tourism Fund: Clause 18 designates the Minister as the Trustee of the Zimbabwe Tourism Fund. Public feedback suggests that this centralizes too much financial control, rendering the ZTA Board powerless and compromising the credibility of the newly proposed Tourism Council.
- Monopolization of Appointments: The Bill currently provides the Minister with unilateral control over appointments for both the ZTA Board and the Tourism Council, leading to concerns regarding the independence of these bodies.
- Authority Over Industry Appeals: Under Clause 42, the Minister retains ultimate authority over industry appeals. Stakeholders pointed out that this contradicts international best practices, which suggest that appeals should be handled by an independent tribunal rather than a political office-holder.
Thomas Madondoro
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