Mnangagwa claims Zambia has no stake on Victoria Falls

14 Views Zimbabwean President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has publicly asserted that Victoria Falls belongs to Zimbabwe, arguing that the waterfall faces the Zimbabwean side. He made the comments while officially opening the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo in Masvingo, where he was discussing Zimbabwe’s tourism sector and the promotion of local attractions. In an unusual analogy […]

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Zimbabwean President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has publicly asserted that Victoria Falls belongs to Zimbabwe, arguing that the waterfall faces the Zimbabwean side.

He made the comments while officially opening the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo in Masvingo, where he was discussing Zimbabwe’s tourism sector and the promotion of local attractions.

In an unusual analogy aimed at an international audience, Mnangagwa said beauty is appreciated from the front.

He used opposition MP Joana Mamombe as an example, stating that no one would propose to her from behind. He applied the same logic to Victoria Falls, arguing that because the falls face Zimbabwe, they should be recognized as Zimbabwe’s.

Speaking partly in Shona, Mnangagwa noted that Zimbabwe has many sites worth promoting. He acknowledged the common view that the falls are shared, saying: “vamwe vanoti inogovana Zimbabwe ne Zambia,” which means “some people say it is shared between Zimbabwe and Zambia.”

His sentiments seem to reopen the debate that has been going on for years, on which side of Victoria Falls is best – Zimbabwe or Zambia?

According to tourism addicts, Zimbabwe provides a classic view of the water falls, the Main Falls, Devil’s Cataract, and that endless wall of mist that rises like smoke from a fire.

It’s dramatic, it’s cinematic, and it’s open year-round thanks to a higher water flow. The viewpoints are well connected, making it easy to walk the entire length and take in the full picture.

And for Zambia, on the other hand, is all about proximity.

It’s where you feel the Falls. You can cross Knife-Edge Bridge and get drenched in spray, swim on the very lip of the Falls in Devil’s Pool, and visit Livingstone Island for a view few people ever forget. During dry season, you can even walk down into the gorge itself.

So, which side wins? According to many the truth: neither.

They complement each other, and most of the travellers end up experiencing both. That’s the beauty of travelling with people who know the difference.

Victoria Falls, known locally as _Mosi-oa-Tunya_ or “The Smoke That Thunders,” is one of the world’s largest waterfalls. It is located on the Zambezi River, which forms the natural border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Because the river marks the boundary between the two countries, the waterfall is internationally recognized as a shared natural heritage site. Each country administers its own side and offers tourists different views and experiences of the falls.

The remarks are likely to draw attention given the falls’ status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site jointly managed by Zimbabwe and Zambia, and as a major tourism draw for both economies.