		<div class="wpcnt">
			<div class="wpa">
				<span class="wpa-about">Advertisements</span>
				<div class="u top_amp">
							<amp-ad width="300" height="265"
		 type="pubmine"
		 data-siteid="111265417"
		 data-section="2">
		</amp-ad>
				</div>
			</div>
		</div><p><a href="http://londonglossy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/mugabe-militants-target-resort.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full" title="Zanu PF supporters take time to relax at bird sanctuary Kuimba Shiri Safari Lodge after they beseiged the lodge on Lake Chibero, Zimbabwe (AP)" src="http://londonglossy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/min-mugabe-militants-target-resort.jpg" alt="Zanu PF supporters take time to relax at bird sanctuary Kuimba Shiri Safari Lodge after they beseiged the lodge on Lake Chibero, Zimbabwe (AP)"/></a></p>
<p>Militants from President Robert Mugabe&#8217;s party Zanu PF have launched raids at boating clubs and tourism lodges on the shores of the capital&#8217;s main fishing and leisure area, tour operators said.</p>
<p>A safari lodge about 18 miles west of Harare reopened after being sealed off by more than 200 militants since Friday, said owner Gary Stafford.</p>
<p>The seven-chalet Kuimba Shiri lodge is a popular getaway for locals, foreign visitors, diplomats and United Nations staff.</p>
<p>Militants told witnesses more than 20 clubs and holiday centres were being targeted on the shores and hinterland of Lake Chivero, a dam five miles long and bordered by a wildlife preserve that serves as Harare&#8217;s main water supply reservoir.</p>
<p>Incidents began on Friday, coinciding with the launch of a new campaign by tourism and hospitality minister Walter Mzembi who called Zimbabwe &#8220;the world of wonders&#8221; during a convention in Spain.</p>
<p>After collapsing during a decade of political and economic turmoil, tourist visits have crept upward since 2009 when a coalition government between Mugabe and prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai, the former opposition leader, abandoned the hyper-inflationary local currency and adopted the US dollar as legal tender.</p>
<p>Tourists had been kept away from the famed Victoria Falls in north-western Zimbabwe and the country&#8217;s animal reserves because of recurring political violence and acute shortages of petrol and the most basic goods during the nation&#8217;s economic meltdown.</p>
<p>The change to hard currency saw petrol stations and empty store shelves replenished with foodstuffs and luxuries still being imported mainly from neighbouring South Africa, as once self-sufficient local industries battled to resume production. After years of neglect, tourist services, the third largest hard currency earner after agricultural exports and mining a decade ago, were being revamped too, and advertising promotions were mounted at several international travel fairs.</p>
<p>The raids at Lake Chivero follow similar incidents in the mountainous north-eastern trout fishing and hiking district of Nyanga. There, holiday homes were searched by militants and visitors reported being forced to show identification documents by rag-tag groups not in official police or security service uniforms. In some areas, the militants also manned makeshift roadblocks.</p>
<p>Calls for elections this year by Mugabe to end the shaky power sharing deal have heightened political tensions and spurred fresh demands for the implementation of Mugabe&#8217;s policy of empowerment that calls for 51% ownership of businesses by blacks.</p>
			<div style="padding-bottom:15px;" class="wordads-tag" data-slot-type="belowpost">
				<div id="atatags-dynamic-belowpost-68e36a2552d5a">
					<script type="text/javascript">
						window.getAdSnippetCallback = function () {
							if ( false === ( window.isWatlV1 ?? false ) ) {
								// Use Aditude scripts.
								window.tudeMappings = window.tudeMappings || [];
								window.tudeMappings.push( {
									divId: 'atatags-dynamic-belowpost-68e36a2552d5a',
									format: 'belowpost',
								} );
							}
						}

						if ( document.readyState === 'loading' ) {
							document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', window.getAdSnippetCallback );
						} else {
							window.getAdSnippetCallback();
						}
					</script>
				</div>
			</div>
Discover more from London Glossy Post
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
