Robert Mugabe road in the central business district of Harare is set for a major face-lift ahead of the 2017 edition of the Harare International Carnival set for September.
The usually busy and noisy road, characterized by high population of vendors and touts, will be the main route for the Big Time Harare International Carnival which will run under the theme “One Love- our unity our pride.”
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, Chief Operations Officer, Givemore Chidzidzi said they intend to face-lift Robert Mugabe Road through installing proper and environmentally friendly vending stalls as it has become impassable due to vendors.
“The road is now filled with all sorts of dirt emanating from different activities of vending and transport movement rampant during the day and night, activities that also make the road absolutely impassable.
“We cannot continue to cast a blind eye to that as a nation. Robert Mugabe Road is named after our iconic President. We need to show respect and pay homage to the Head of State by creating order and sanity in this road,” said Chidzidzi.
A cocktail of activities have been lined for the festival with a number or international artists set to grace the week long festivities.
Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, together with Big Time Strategic Group of Companies which is owned by South Africa based entrepreneur Justice Maphosa will bankroll the event.
Apart from the socio-cultural benefits accrued from this event, it has a huge impact on the economy through tourism.
According to statistics from ZTA, the last time, Harare International Carnival was held $21 million was generated within the week of the carnival thereby delivering considerable benefits not only to individual but the national economy at large.
