INTER-PARLIAMENTARY Union (IPU) president Saber Chowdhury has described Zambia’s tourism products as remarkable.
Mr Chowdhury said the country’s tourism was one that he was going to always cherish and that he would always speak positively about his experience in Zambia wherever he would go around the world.
He was speaking in an interview in Livingstone after his delegation visited various tourism products in Senior Chief Mukuni’s Chiefdom.
The delegation which, included Mr Chowdhury’s wife Rehana, IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong and his wife Stella as well as Speaker of the Zambian Parliament Patrick Matibini, interacted with cheetahs, elephants and lions at Mukuni Big Five Safari.
“We are very privileged and honoured for the tour here in Chief Mukuni’s Chiefdom. We had no idea that Zambia had such amazing natural resources.
“Thanks to your hospitality for opening your doors to your tourism attraction and to your palace. This has been a very remarkable experience, one that we are going to cherish. Wherever we may be in the world, we will always speak about this experience in very positive terms,” Mr Chowdhury said.
He also thanked Senior Chief Mukuni for giving the delegation an insight into the way chiefdom has historically operated for many years.
“It is a food for thoughts. Your culture is very rich. On behalf of the SG and spouses, thanks for your generosity and we are very humbled,” Mr Chowdhury said.
And Dr Matibini thanked Senior Chief Mukuni for showing the delegation the various tourist attractions in the chiefdom.
“This is an excellent model. It has to be emulated in other areas where they don’t have such facilities. It has been an honor and privilege to be here together with my guests,” he said.
Senior Chief Mukuni said it was not every day that the Chiefdom received people of high standing in the world.
“We are indebted to your visit. It is a great honour to receive you,” Senior Chief Mukuni said.
That animal needs to be in the wild, not in a cage and handled on the private parts like that!
I hope the IPU boss was also told that Jean Kapata and her clueless PF have lifted the suspension on hunting for Lions, leopards and Cheetahs. When Edgar said he had no vision, we should have believed him.
@Suntwe,
It goes without saying that this Cheetah was hand-raised. Its body language says it all. Its very relaxed in spite of the multiple stroking, nervous laughter and general pandemonium around. But to say these people are touching its ‘private parts’ is stretching the truth a bit. Seriously, would you? or are we looking at the same picture? Lets just say human instinct for self preservation would kick in. e.g. see how they are all ready to ‘take off’ just in case.
Wow, that’s nice. I know a number of people here in UK who would pay good money just to touch, stroke and take a selfie with the fastest animal in the World. Usain Bolt did a similar thing in Kenya. It rocked. But from now on, I will point any interested people to Sr Chief Mukuni- Zambia.
LOL- it hilarious how all those stroking the Cheetah are at arm’s length away.
Where is that utterly dull tourism minister chi Jean Kapata? Busy on a PF campaign trail I presume…this is what she should be exposing herself to instead of signing off dead warrants for big cats to be placed as trophies in some rich white man’s lounge.
Animals should be left in the wild. It is very unsustainable for humans to capture them and profit from them. Yes it may have been hand raised but keep in mind that it is still a wild animal and can attack at any given time due to its instincts. Then we will put it down because of our greed and ignorance. These petting or walk with lions are nothing but a scheme as most end in in canned hunting operations in South Africa. Yes they sell them after they have outgrown their cuteness. They need to come up with real ways in raising tourism revenue and nor encouraging such behaviour. Trophy Hunting is what is considered tourism in Zambia and such a shame instead of conserving wildlife.
@Big Mike,
You say “.. It is very unsustainable for humans to capture them and profit from them”.?? What do you mean by ‘Unsustainable’?. Well run Game parks ARE very sustainable. They are also sanctuaries and homes for vulnerable animals e.g. orphans, or animals abandoned by their parents, or those with a health condition. And above all they create jobs. That is the “real ways in raising tourism revenue” and it has been practiced successfully in developed Countries for a long time? If you are in the USA as your flag suggests, have you ever been to a well-run game park? So, what is your apprehension exactly?
@Cactus in the USA we have skilled labour meaning everyone including veterinary technicians have some for of skill including a degree or diploma and have resources in managing these animals. Many are actually against zoos after the whale that recently died and the Sea Otter due to human negligence. People are saying animals belong in the wild. That cheetah where is it confined? How many times a day do they exercise it and are they feeding it nutritional food? Big Cats easily lose their eye sight due to poor diet. Those veterinary bills cost a fortune I know because I just coughed $2,500 for my pet’s surgery. We can take care of orphaned animals with the hopes of returning them back to the wild. It’s people managing tourism responsible for providing jobs not cheetahs.