VICTORIA Falls reopens under the new normal, sparks excitement from members of the public

SOUTHERN province minister Edify Hamukale wrote: “I don't know why those older than me have been hiding this from all boys in Southern province. If you are dating and aiming to marry a difficult to propose girl, just take her to the Victoria Falls and propose to marry her from there.

“She will fail to say no. First of all, your shyness will disappear and she will be smiling the whole day within the fence of the falls. ...just kneel down properly and look confident, nature will do the rest for you.”

Funny as it may sound, perhaps anyone that has been there lately would agree with the provincial minister. Following its reopening by President Edgar Lungu, as expected, over 1,600 people including three foreign nationals have thronged the national heritage site which was thundering in isolation.

Make no mistake however, people are required to observe social distancing guidelines and masking up for everyone entering the site. The Victoria Falls was on March 29 this year, closed as a way of mitigating the spread of the coronavirus.

Just two days after being closed, the falls recorded its highest peak of 4289 cubic metres per second of water falling over the falls - half the record highest peak of 9436 cubic metres per second of 1958.

A new dawn came when President Lungu toured the falls last week and directed that it should be reopened to the public in order to allow businesses in the tourist capital to survive.

The move has elated many players.

The Livingstone Tourism Association (LTA) which was instrumental in lobbying for the reopening of the falls says the move will go a long way in turning around the fortunes of Livingstone, whose economy is tourism dependent.

A number of tour operators in Livingstone have resorted to either laying off workers or sending them on forced leave citing loss of business due to the coronavirus.

In a space of two months alone, Bushtracks Africa laid off 60 employees while Livingstone Adventures declared 130 of its workers redundant citing the same reasons.

LTA board chairperson Rodney Sikumba who has called on tour operators to reduce their rates, says the reopening of the falls is a move in the right direction.

“Quite alright, it received a lot of mixed reactions from some sections, but for us, it is good because we are giving an opportunity to people to view the falls which are flowing with water at its peak,” he says.

Safety measures are not being taken lightly either.

The LTA in conjunction with the National Heritage and Conservation Commission (NHCC), the Livingstone City Council (LCC), the Ministry of Health and Zambia Police recently held a multi-sectoral meeting at the site to discuss and intensify safety measures to avoid a spread of the coronavirus.

It is believed that within two days of reopening, the heritage site received over 700 visitors.

“We engaged the stakeholders and resolved that everyone that will be allowed inside will have to be screened and registered in the register for easy contact tracing. We have thermometers and hand washing stations all over,” he says.

A check at the site revealed that residents, mostly families relaxing and admiring the beauty of the falls while those without recommended face masks such as cloth, surgical or N95 masks were being turned away.

“Scarves and handkerchiefs are not allowed in here,” an officer was heard telling the visitors, while asking them to buy face masks from the ticketing office.

No more than 100 people are being allowed into the falls at a time. Mr Sikumba has also appealed to locals to understand and adhere to the measures being put in place.

“We would like to believe that there will be people coming here to view the falls from other towns and in turn would want a game drive and also accommodation. So, for us, the reopening is a good thing provided people do as they are being advised,” he said.

Livingstone Public Transport Association (LPTA) chairperson Christopher Banda says the reopening of the Victoria Falls is a welcome move provided people follow the safety measures and guidelines.

He said the closure of the falls had a negative impact on drivers operating on the Victoria Falls border route. “Can you imagine that sometimes we would only load a maximum of three taxis and buses on that route? It was really bad for business but we also understood that the closure was for the good of the people,” he says.

He called on people to adhere to the social distancing guidelines set up by the Government. “That way, we will prevent the disease from coming here,” he says. Chikonka Monde who used to sell curios at the Victoria Falls and the bridge says the reopening of the falls will be a great boost to business and livelihood for him and his other colleagues.

“When it was closed, we all lost out on business and it affected our families a great deal. Right now, I am at home in Mukuni Village since there is no business at the falls and the bridge. Of course, our biggest buyers are foreigners, but this reopening will give us some breathing space to start afresh and recover losses,” he says.

Mr Monde’s views are also shared by the Victoria Falls Curio Traders Association (VFTA) chairperson Fabian Siazibola.

Mr Siazibola is happy that business will normalise following its reopening. “We are grateful to President Lungu and we shall ensure that all the regulations are upheld,” he says.

Some tour operators whose business is more than 90 percent dependent on international travelers are looking forward to the day international travel restrictions will be relaxed.

DIVA FROM THE WEST: MoMo DiVa opens up on her musical journey

BORN and bred in Mongu, Western province, Monde Mbanga has gone on to become a household name in her native town - thanks to her role in the entertainment and media industry.

Who is she?

Monde is one of the most acclaimed rappers in the town who goes by her stage name of MoMo DiVa.

Born from Captain Godfrey Numwa Mbanga (retired) and Maureen Imataa Mukelabai Mbanga, in October 1992, Monde is the last born in a family of four which consists of two males and two females.

The Weekend Mail caught up with the budding artiste who apart from being a trained journalist, is also in charge of music programming at Catholic owned and run radio station Oblate Liseli in Mongu.

“In my family, I am the only one doing music,” she says. “I did all my schooling in Mongu - at Mongu Primary School and went to Holy Cross Girls’ Secondary School (now Holy Cross Girls Catholic Secondary School) from grade 8 to 12.

“In 2015, I went to Zambia Institute of Mass Communication Education Trust (ZAMCOM) where I studied a Journalism and Public Relations Diploma up to 2017 and graduated as best overall performing student of two intakes,” she says.

She started singing from a tender age of seven.

“I started music when I was seven years old as the youngest choir member at St. Agatha Parish in the Catholic Diocese of Mongu. I started writing my own music in 2004 when I was in grade eight.

“My mum inspired me to sing because she always sang to me and taught me church songs. Music is one hobby that I share with her, we still sing together.”

She recorded her first professional song titled ‘Moving To The Top’ in 2012.

“It was a love song. It is the song that introduced me to the industry in Western province and I still love it even more, especially now that I am where I wanted to be at the time I was recording it. The growth is amazing,” she adds.

MoMo DiVa

MoMo DiVa who is arguably the most featured female artiste from among her peers in the region has other songs such as Island Ya Lilato which was recorded and produced by Swit Kid. She says she intends to release more music this July.

“I am planning to release an album but at the right time with the hope of making sales, not just free releases,” she says.

She is inspired by award winning Mampi. “My first performance was in 2012 at a closing bash at Mongu Trades Training Institute and in my performance, I was miming to her music.”

She adds: “She has represented Zambian music without fail and I admire that about her. Eminen is my favourite rapper and I am a die-hard fan.”

MoMo DiVa has worked with late Mongu producer and artiste Radikoh on a number of songs including a collaboration called ‘Nitakupahamela’ which featured on ZNBC Radio 2 top 10.

She also worked with Mumble Jumble, a rapper from Immac Music on two songs Western Culture and Singanyenganye. “He is one of my favourite rappers in the province.”

O’Nelly, a R n’ B artiste has also worked with her. He is a record label mate at Fly Time Music and they have a song together titled Sorry, whose studio video is already trending and was recently featured on ZNBC’s Born n’ Bred television show.

Others are Tuks Teezy on a song called Nkondo and also Kaoma based rapper and producer DJ Waz on two songs.

“I am one of the pioneers of Mbunga Music because I was the first female rapper when I started and there are very few female musicians who are still active in the industry from the time I started. I feel I have lasted the test of time being relevant from the time I started,” she says.

MoMo is also Zambia Association of Musicians (ZAM) provincial vice chairperson and has been fighting hard for artistes in the region to breakthrough.

“I have served in ZAM since 2014 and I have so far taken an active role in mobilising artistes and creating platforms for local artistes to perform at all entertainment activities in the province.

“I’m also in charge of music programming at Oblate radio Liseli which enables me to effectively achieve the 50 percent local music airplay policy at the radio station,” she says.

“My music career introduced me to radio broadcasting after my first radio interview in 2012. The on-air experience was so thrilling that I joined them as a part-time presenter in 2013 and I have been until I went to college. Now I am a full-time journalist. They say ‘do what you love and love what you do’ and I am here, living the dream,” she says.