Article 2
REFLECTIONS ON THE LAST MILE CIRDA WORKSHOP IN LIVINGSTONE,
ZAMBIA: 14-18TH MAY, 2016.
By Dr. Robert K. Rutaagi [Head of Ugandan Delegation].
UNDP/GEF Climate Information for Resilient Development in Africa (CIRDA) organized a
four-day workshop in Livingstone, Zambia from 14th to 18th March, 2016. It took place at
AVANI Victoria Falls Resort [AVFR] in close proximity [only 5minute walk] with the world
famous 1.7 km Mosi-oa- Tunya [The Smoke that Thunders] or, simply, Victoria Falls on River
Zambezi that separates Zambia and Zimbabwe!
AVFR is an inordinately beautiful and luxurious 3-star Hotel in Livingstone Town. It is,
indeed, an excellent family holiday destination with famous world-class conference facilities
that offer a superb privilege of a complimentary free access to Victoria Falls via the Hotel’s
private entrance. Other Hotel facilities include but are not limited to: free WIFI access in all
rooms, traditional Marimba Band that performs during lunch at the poolside and a Resident
Band performing at the poolside every evening. All around the Hotel, guests are able to view
amazing wildlife around the resort: zebras, Giraffes, Impalas and Monkeys etc.
The Hotel is owned by Minor Hotel Group (MHG) which owns a large portfolio of 133 hotels
and resorts in 22 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, South America,
Africa and the Indian Ocean. The five AVANI Hotel brand, in southern Africa, was
inaugurated in July 2011 with 212 executive rooms, ranging from twin to queen.
Spectacular falls, peace, tranquility and abundant natural resources, are the Group’s greatest
strategy to market the industry globally.
Culture, gives the Group another uniqueness. In Zambia, tourism is spiced up by culture. The
Victoria Falls are surrounded by history and traditions. Mr. Prezly, who took me on a guided
tour, in a humorous mood, narrated to me how Dr. David Livingstone ‘discovered’ the Falls
to which he was led by the local Kololo people who, later took him to Chief Mukuni for
acceptance and blessing.Shungunamutima[another local name for the ‘falls’] means “roaring
waters from the heart”.
AVANI Victoria Falls Resort
THE SMOKE THAT THUNDERS!
From the information Desk, I was directed to the 5 minutes away-walk water falls. It was a
splendid leisurely walk, not knowing what experience lay ahead of me.
My memory flew back to my teenage years of romantic escapades! Behind the last Hotel block
are beautiful gardens full of trees, flowers and green grass. Suddenly, I came face to face with
four zebras, then several cobs leisurely having their ‘natural breakfast’! What a beautiful
sight! My iPad camera went into action. Past the happy animals, I reached the entrance to the
UNESCO Heritage Park.
By this time, I could hear some water sounds. After meandering a few minutes amidst trees,
I came across Dr. David Livingstone’s statute.
A little beyond the Livingstone statue, I descended a tarmacked path and lo and behold the
Victoria Falls!
Picture of Mosi-oa-Tunya [The Smoke that thunders]
I was spell-bound! For the first time, it dawned upon me that I had never seen water falls in
Uganda! Yes, I had seen the Rippon Falls, the tiny Kisiizi water falls, the Karuma falls and the
Sipi falls! Little did I know that all the Ugandan water falls would pale before Victoria Falls!
It took me seventy years of misperception of this magnitude to learn a new lesson! What
balanced the Ugandan and Zambian water-fall experience was the Canadian counterpart Niagara Falls which I visited in 2001! While Uganda’s water falls clearly pale before Zambia’s
Victoria Falls, the latter, too, quite superlatively pale before the Canadian Niagara Falls but
with a modicum of difference. I will explain. While the latter belittles the former in terms of
size and power, the former compensates in awe caused by propinquity of the viewer from the
falls. In order to view water falls, they must be approached directly from the front if not from
above! In the case of Niagara Falls, such a view is possible from the main road which must
have been constructed with a view that the road users would enjoy the water fall view. But
between the road and the water falls, there is a sizeable expanse of water [a kind of lake]. This
distance tends to reduce the visual impact of the viewer, at least mine! Not so with Victoria
Falls where the distance is so short that a giant could be tempted to stretch out his hand to
touch the water falls across! Not so with Niagara Falls! That alone makes the enormous
difference between Niagara and Victoria Falls, in terms of power, splendor, awe, mystery and
metaphysical invocations that made my heard to worship God instantly.
The first time I saw Niagara Falls, about fifteen years ago, my School lessons in water cycle
raced back with question marks. Does the evaporation rate, the rainfall seasons and the
enormous volume flow of this thing [now also Victoria Falls] balance out to make
geographical [or any other] sense? How much water passes these falls every minute, hour,
week, month, year, decade, century, millennium…? Who is in charge of this water? Then, I
remembered Uganda National Water & Sewerage Corporation’s slogan – Water is life! Who
is in charge of all this life around? My life. Your life. All this water! At Niagara and Mosi-oaTunya! Again, my iPad camera went into action many times until I left, followed by ineffable
experience that will not go away for as long as I live.
NATURE AND WILDLIFE:
All around AVFR, is nothing but vivacious nature that nurtures every aspect of life [human,
animal and plant…]. Indeed, this Hotel is a splendid destination that can be said to be an
epitome and embodiment of international tourism experience. People from all races, cultures
and nations periodically converge there to enjoy quality life.
In terms of wildlife, there is a lot to see! There are warning signs around AVFR to take
precautions against animal competition. Stubborn monkeys can enter rooms and steal! They
can access the balcony areas and do everything humans can do, including watching movies
on television. One morning, while having breakfast, a monkey majestically entered the
dinning, snatched sugar and walked out as if from a supermarket for shopping! The gentle
Zambian waitresses simply smiled at the cantankerous creature.
The hotel’s animal policy favours wildlife in Livingstone Town. And the strategy works –
tourism attraction. AVFR is situated in a National Park, under UNICEF World Heritage
protected by an MOU between Zambian and Zimbabwean Governments. As I took my
leisurely and memorable walk to and from Mosi-oa-Tunya, I saw zebras, giraffes, cobs and
numerous species of birds. I was informed by the Operations Manager [PrezleyMungala] who
courteously offered me a guided tour around that the Park has other animal species: rhinos,
buffalos, impalas, wild beasts, warthogs, crocodiles, leopards and elephants etc.
PICURE OF VARIOUS ANIM ALS
The week that I spent in Livingstone Town taught me many lessons. It also added to my
experience, fond memories of new friends, phenomenal environment, good feeding,
transcendental rest and excellent shared knowledge of meteorology from experts and
practitioners as articulated in my LESSONS LEARNT FROM THE LAST MILE.
The Author is a Public Sector Management Specialist [Rtd], Management
Consultant, Author & Publisher, Freelance Journalist & Writer and Chairperson
of Uganda National Meteorological Authority [UNMA