Meet best candidate for UNWTO top job Dr Mzembi
Dr Mzembi

Dr Mzembi

Isdore Guvamombe : Reflections

Back in the village, in the land of milk, honey and dust or Guruve, elders with cotton tuft hair say a cock is seen the day it is hatched. Like or hate him, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Dr Walter Mzembi has had a trailblazing political career that has made him set eyes on the world’s biggest tourism job, that of secretary-general of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.Since his entrance into politics about a decade-and-half ago, Dr Mzembi has received accolade after accolade and has probably lost count. As this villager pens this instalment, the ink has not dried on a certificate in which the African Diaspora World Tourism Awards, based in Atlanta, the United States of America, awarded Dr Mzembi a Life-Time Achievement Award. He indeed deserves it.

Born in Zimbabwe’s Masvingo Province, Dr Mzembi first demonstrated that his DNA had exceptional marketing skills before he went into politics.

He entered the tourism family with a bang, when he was appointed Zimbabwe’s Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry in February 2009, (the first ever time it was made a stand-alone ministry in the country’s history since independence from colonial rule in 1980).

Dr Mzembi soon manoeuvred with the aggressiveness of a marketer, the vision of an intellect and the eloquence of a natural orator, effectively landing in the UNWTO executive council — the highest decision making body of the organisation — where he became everyone’s darling, a thinker, unifier and trusted brother, who knows no boundary over colour, creed or religion.

To date, Dr Mzembi is revered by many in the world tourism family as a great thinker, unifier and visionary, who can easily turn disadvantages into advantages. They regard Dr Mzembi as someone with the much-needed magical touch, and the timeline of his work speaks volumes.

The best candidate for UNWTO top job!

In May 2017, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation elects a successor to its illustrious Secretary-General Dr Taleb Rifai and Dr Mzembi is vying for that top job. So far, his rivals for the post are largely undeclared and if he wins, (which is highly likely), this will be the first time since the inception of the organisation in 1975 that an African takes over the reins.

Africa has already unanimously endorsed Dr Mzembi as the sole candidate for the job. That is a solid signposting by the 54 member African Union that Africa’s time to take over is NOW. He has the brains, the vision, the charisma, the charm, the eloquence and indeed the astuteness of an international leader. In short, Dr Mzembi has an inexorable depth of character. He is the total package!

Here is the man Africa in its broad totality has given to the world as the next secretary-general of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. And, that is not coincidental. It is now time for Africa!

That no one from Africa dared challenge his candidature — from his home country, Zimbabwe, to Sadc region up to the African Union — speaks volumes about his strength and acceptability as an international leadership brand.

Academic and professional qualifications

1. Doctorate Degree in Business Management (Aldersgate University College), Philippines

(2015); Research based Doctoral Degree Topic: An exploratory study of Conservation Management in Zimbabwe: A Governance Perspective.

2. Master of Business Administration and Production Management (Azteca), Mexico (2013);

3. Bachelor of Business Administration (Azteca), Mexico (2011);

4. Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (Northern Technical College), Zambia (1988);

Portfolios and assignments

1. Current Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry

2. Deputy Minister of Water Resources and Development

3. Marketing Director Agro-Venture (Agro Industry)

4. General Manager, Stewarts and Lloyds (Water Engineering)

Other positions: Current and previously held

1. Member of Parliament (Masvingo South Constituency) 2004 to-date

2. Former Chairman, Parliamentary Committee:- Agriculture, Lands

Resettlement Committee 2004-2006

3. Head of Delegation to the Joint Parliamentary Assembly,

ACP-EU, Brussels 2004-2006

International positions held related to tourism

1. Southern Africa Development Community Committee of Responsible Tourism Ministers

Chairman (2015)

2. United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Executive Council Member (2009-2013)

 

3. United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Regional Commission for Africa

Chairperson (2013 to date)

4. United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Co-President in Session: 20

Session UNWTO General Assembly (2013-2015)

4. Three times President of Africa Travel Association (New York-based)

ACHIEVEMENTS – INTERNATIONAL HONORS

1. African Tourism Minister of the Year (2011): African Investor Tourism Investment

Awards

2. Africa Leadership Awards (2012), Mauritius

· Brand Leadership Award (2012)

· Mark of Excellence Award (2012)

· Africa Leadership and Inspiration Award (2012)

3. Africa Travel Association-Outstanding Service to the Association (2012), U. S. A

4. Africa Travel Association Presidency Appreciation Award (2012-2014), U. S. A

5. Special Recognition for Excellence Award: African Achievers Awards (2012), Nairobi,

Kenya

6. TouchRoad Sino – Africa Investment Excellence Awards (2011), Shanghai, China

DOMESTIC HONORS

1. Public Service Manager of the Year (2011), Zimbabwe Institute of Management

2. Tourism Personality of the Year (2011), Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe

3. Tourism Personality of the Year (2012), Zimbabwe Council for Tourism

4. Outstanding Contribution to Agriculture in Zimbabwe (2012), Zimbabwe Farmers Union

5. Most Consumer Focused Executive-Service Excellence Awards (2014), Customer Contact

Centre

6. Exceptional Contribution to Marketing (2015), Marketers Association of Zimbabwe

7. Tourism Image Builder of the Year (2014), Megafest Tourism Awards

8. Customer Service Executive of the Year-Service Excellence in the Public Sector (2015),

Marketers Association of Zimbabwe.

LEGACY TOURISM INITIATIVES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

· Successfully positioned tourism as an economic pillar at national, regional and continental level.

· Effectively leading efforts to seek Tourism Policy and Structural accommodation at the African

Union (AU) within the context of Agenda 2063 and the AU Restructuring process, leading to the

formulation of a Continental Tourism Policy.

· Delegate to the 26 AU Summit and the Ministerial Retreat, and presented on African Tourism which was escalated to the Summit.

· Successfully hosted the 20 Session of the UNWTO General Assembly in 2013 co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Zambia.

· Authored a concept note accepted by the UNWTO Secretariat on Tourism and Biodiversity: Zero

Tolerance to Poaching in Africa by 2020 (culminated in the commissioning of a study on

Towards Measuring the Economic Value of Wildlife Watching Tourism in Africa).

· Leveraged tourism as a tool for international re-engagement and people to people diplomacy.

· Effectively positioned tourism in the academic and research mindset with notable public lectures at home and abroad including presentations to Oxford University, Ohio State University, New York University, the Institute of Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin, Chatham House, Corporate Council on Africa-USA and several regional and local academic institutions.

 

 

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