By Agencies
HARARE – Former Zimbabwean Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Walter Mzembi, once hailed as one of Africa’s most influential tourism leaders, has issued a call for international support from his prison hospital in Harare, where he is being held as a political prisoner.
In a message leaked this week, Dr. Mzembi, who is battling advanced cancer while chained to his hospital bed, said: “This is now the time to seek outside help—by sticking to the facts, the truth, not falsehoods.” His detention has sparked growing concern among human rights groups, who fear his condition is worsening due to lack of adequate medical care.
Dr. Mzembi rose to prominence as Zimbabwe’s long-serving Minister of Tourism and later Minister of Foreign Affairs, where he successfully rebranded Zimbabwe as a global destination. In 2015, the New York Times ranked Zimbabwe 14th on its list of “52 Places to Visit,” a recognition widely attributed to his re-engagement and marketing efforts. He was endorsed by the African Union as Africa’s candidate for Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in 2017, a race many observers believe he narrowly lost due to geopolitical interference.
After seven years in exile, Dr. Mzembi returned to Zimbabwe in June at the invitation of the president to resolve long-standing disputes. However, he was arrested soon after arrival. Despite not being indicted on any charges, including those relating to his departure for medical treatment, his bail applications have repeatedly been denied.
The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin, where Mzembi delivered a keynote address in 2024, has called for his immediate release, urging the Red Cross and other human rights organisations to intervene. Meanwhile, officials at the Zimbabwean Embassy in Berlin have declined to comment, though one diplomat privately expressed sympathy, acknowledging Mzembi’s achievements in promoting Zimbabwean tourism.
Dr. Mzembi, who once oversaw Zimbabwe and Zambia’s successful co-hosting of the 2013 UNWTO General Assembly in Victoria Falls, has won multiple accolades, including African Tourism Minister of the Year and global recognition as a “Tourism Hero.” Despite his current plight, many of his supporters continue to describe him as a visionary leader, with the African Union recently reaffirming his legacy in shaping continental tourism policy.
