"Ikona!" say KK

UPDATED: 08:18, December 04, 2006

Zambian former president opposed to planned tourism project in Victoria Falls

Zambian former president Kenneth Kaunda is opposed to the planned tourism project in Victoria Falls, Sunday Post reported.

The local newspaper quoted him as asking the Zambian government not to allow Legacy Holdings Zambia to construct a golf estate containing two hotels, a 18 hole golf course, marina and 450 chalets in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, part of which is the Victoria Falls.

In an interview recently the 82-year former president said that he has when talking with President Levy Mwanawasa outlined his concerns on the project and the effect the project would have in the proposed area.

"I have given my thoughts to the president that we should not do that, because that will interfere greatly with the movement of elephants in the area," he said.

There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the 260 million U.S. dollars project, which has received objections from various people and sectors.

The Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) awarded Legacy Holdings Zambia a tourism concession agreement of a 220 hectare long lease in the park in Livingstone, capital of Southern province.

The opponents said elephants in the park use the area as their movement corridor, which is an essential part of their home range. The project would cut the park into two, and that it would severely damage the plan for Transfrontier conservation area, one of the most ambitious elephant conservation plans.

Legacy Holdings Zambia has threatened to take the proposed project away if it will not be developed on the designated area.

Legacy feels that in comparison with Zimbabwe the Zambian side of the Victoria Falls is far less developed, a fact that is seen to enhance the visitor experience in Zambia.

In Livingstone there are now slightly over 1,000 beds available compared with 3,000 beds on the Zimbabwean side.

The planned project with an estimated 1,900 rooms, could make Zambia compete with Zimbabwe, said the company.

However, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is concerned that Zambia and Zimbabwe have allegedly failed to follow laid down recommendations on the management of the Victoria Falls as a world heritage site.

UNESCO commissioner Felistus Chiyanda said recently in Livingstone that the two countries have failed to effectively implement agreed protocols relating to the management of the 30 km radius of the Victoria Falls.

She warned the two countries to reverse the trend by ensuring that no more developments are put up in the restricted world heritage site radius or risk having the status given to the falls withdrawn by the UN agency.

Those supporting the project argued that it will create jobs, peripheral opportunity and service delivery.

Two weeks ago Tourism Minister Kabinga Pande said he would wait for the outcome of the environmental impact assessment of the project before issuing the government position on the matter.

Zambian side of Victoria Falls and the adjacent bank of Zambezi is called the Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park.

Victoria Falls is one of the seven wonders of the modern world and a world heritage site UNESCO declared in 1989 because of its scientific and tourism value.