President Robert Mugabe has invited Joyce Banda, the President of Malawi, to officially open this year’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo despite reports of bad blood between the two leaders.
Report by Khulani Nkabinde
Industry and Commerce minister Welshman Ncube yesterday confirmed that Banda would be the guest of honour at the ZITF.
“She will be there. She has been invited to officially open the annual trade showcase,” Ncube told NewsDay in an interview. Zimbabwe’s premier trade showcase runs from April 23 to 27.
The trip would be Banda’s first official visit to Zimbabwe since taking over power after the death last year of her predecessor Bingu waMutharika, who was a close ally to Mugabe.
Banda would also be the first woman in the last 10 years to officially open the Trade Fair.
One of her major tasks when she assumed office was to pursue a $24 million debt Zimbabwe owed Malawi following a maize deal struck during Mutharika’s presidency. The broke Zimbabwean government had to repay Lilongwe in kind through fuel.
State media, which often reflects the thinking in Zanu PF, has in the past criticised Banda for being a “darling of the West”.
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Last year, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Office claimed Banda was almost duped into a non-existent State visit to Zimbabwe after she allegedly got a fake invitation letter from the Central Intelligence Organisation.
The letter purportedly originated from the MDC-T leader’s office after the two jointly addressed a book launch in South Africa. At the time, Banda described “the invitation” as “primitive politics”.
Mugabe accuses the West of working with Tsvangirai to try and topple him.
Last year, Zambian President Michael Sata, a staunch ally of Mugabe, officially opened the ZITF.
