By Diana Munharira
The Government of Zimbabwe has stepped in to mediate in the high-stakes dispute over the operations of the revered Chewore Safari Lodge in the Zambezi Valley.
In a press statement, the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife (MECW) confirmed it has engaged all parties involved in the saga , current operator Suscaden, concession holder Big 5, and the Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks).
The lodge, a key tourism asset in a prime wildlife area, has reen at the centre of a operational and contractual deadlock, threatening its immediate future and the wider investor climate in the sector and the country at large. The dispute had spilled into the courts and the investor had lost at both the High Court and the Supreme Court.
“The engagements have been constructive, and all parties have expressed a shared commitment to resolving the matter within the shortest possible time frame,” the Ministry stated. It emphasised the goal of a resolution that is “fair, mutually beneficial, and aligned with the applicable legal and policy frameworks.”
Analysts view the government’s direct intervention as a move to prevent the collapse of a major tourism facility and to signal stability to the tourism market and the investment climate in the country. The statement made a pointed reference to the “guiding principles of the Second Republic,” asserting that “Zimbabwe remains open for business.”
The Ministry further affirmed its “continued commitment to the promotion, facilitation, and protection of investment,” a message clearly aimed at both local and foreign investors.
Neither Suscaden nor Big 5 issued immediate public comments following the government’s announcement. Stakeholders are now awaiting the outcome of the government-facilitated dialogue, which will determine the fate of the lodge ahead of the critical peak tourism season in teh Zambezi valley.
