The Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, headed by Minister Barbara Rwodzi, is facing mounting criticism following its decision to relocate the 18th edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo from Bulawayo to Mutare—a move that has significantly escalated costs and raised accusations of corruption and personal profiteering.
Traditionally hosted at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) grounds in Bulawayo—where existing infrastructure keeps expenses within the US$500,000–700,000 range—the expo is now set to take place in Mutare from September 10 to 12. However, the new venue, which lacks appropriate facilities, is undergoing rapid and costly construction at the Mutare Country Club and central business district, with estimates placing total expenses in the millions.
Insiders from the tourism industry and government allege that Minister Rwodzi has exceeded her authority by directly interfering in operational matters of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), the body legally mandated to oversee tourism promotion and regulation under the Tourism Act (Chapter 14:20).
“ZTA should be running the show, but the minister has taken over. She’s now controlling operational decisions and managing the Zimbabwe Tourism Fund, which falls outside her jurisdiction,” claimed one source familiar with the matter.
There are also allegations that the event was moved to Mutare in order to create inflated procurement and infrastructure deals for politically connected individuals and businesses.
“This relocation doesn’t serve tourism or the economy—it just inflates the budget and benefits a few insiders,” another source said.
In preparation for the event, a ZTA delegation reportedly traveled to China in July to procure containers, tents, chairs, and other materials needed to build temporary facilities in Mutare. Hosting a tourism expo of this scale requires substantial infrastructure, including exhibition halls, breakout rooms, internet access, catering, security, and lodging for hundreds of exhibitors—none of which are readily available in the new location.
“This will cost millions,” said a tourism ministry official who requested anonymity. “The figures being shared publicly are significantly lower than the actual costs. The real beneficiaries are well-connected insiders.”
This development comes on the heels of the recently unveiled National Tourism and Hospitality Policy (2025–2030), which envisions growing Zimbabwe’s tourism sector into a US$10 billion industry by 2030. Critics argue that the policy has, in effect, consolidated power within the minister’s office, weakening the ZTA’s autonomy.
The Sanganai/Hlanganani expo, originally launched as the Zimbabwe International Travel Expo (Shanyai/Vakatshani) in 2008, was first hosted in Harare before relocating to Bulawayo in 2015, primarily due to better infrastructure and cost-effectiveness.
“Bulawayo made sense—everything needed for the event was already in place,” one source explained. “This shift to Mutare is politically motivated. There were no financial benefits for insiders in Bulawayo, so they moved it.”
At the time of publication, Minister Rwodzi had not responded to requests for comment.
