First Lady’s cookout competition winners regale guests at inauguration dinner

Tendai Rupapa

Senior Reporter

President Mnangagwa has commended First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa for her philanthropic work, saying her sterling efforts will continue to complement his work as he commences his second term of office following his re-election last month.

The First Lady, through her Angel of Hope Foundation has embarked on several projects and programmes that have transformed communities and disadvantaged people.

President Mnangagwa said he was optimistic that the work by the First Lady in several facets of the economy would be handy in the attainment of Government’s national goals.

The Head of State and Government said this on Monday evening during a traditional themed inauguration dinner at Glamis Arena after his swearing in earlier in the day.

Mouth-watering traditional dishes were prepared by 2023 provincial winners of the First Lady’s traditional meal cookout competition.

There were 29 women and two men mobilised by the First Lady from the country’s 10 provinces. Among them were members of the San community whom the First Lady praised for their hard work and creativity in preparing indigenous dishes.

They showcased dishes characterised by distinctive ingredients and techniques associated with their specific culture and region.

The women and men left guests, including foreign dignitaries, licking their fingers with their sumptuous meals.

The First Lady has been going around the country with her traditional meal cookout competition showcasing the importance of traditional foods and their nutritional value. The competition has since gone regional.

President Mnangagwa also commended the First Lady for spearheading the traditional meal cook-out programme across the country, saying it preserved Zimbabwean traditions and culture, and also promoted a healthy living and national identity.

“I want to extend my gratitude to my dear wife, Amai Mnangagwa, the family and the Angel of Hope Foundation for their unwavering support.

“You continue to be a reliable partner in our national quest to deliver on the aspects of agriculture and food systems, health, culture, training and human capital development. Talking of food, health and culture, today Amai Mnangagwa has cooked nutritious meals for us through the winners of her traditional meal cookout competition. Thank you,” said President Mnangagwa.

“It is my sincere hope that as I serve the nation under this Second Term, your complementary philanthropic work will continue to impact and transform our communities.” Since the advent of the Second Republic, The First Lady embarked on life changing projects for several communities that has empowered several individuals particularly the vulnerable groups such as women, youths and the girl child. Her work has not gone without local and international recognition as she has received many accolades from different countries and organisations that include universities. Tourism and Hospitality Management chief director Ms Tarirai Musonza thanked Amai Mnangagwa for inviting and honouring the chefs from the provinces to prepare the dishes.

She said each province prepared unique dishes using ingredients commonly found in their area. “The delegates expressed interest in the traditional dishes, as this was witnessed by the long queues at the traditional food serving points. We would like to thank the First Lady, Amai Mnangagwa for introducing the traditional cookout concept, this will go a long way in promoting gastronomy tourism in Zimbabwe.

“Bringing traditional chefs from all the provinces to prepare local dishes for both local and foreign delegates is a sign of togetherness that Amai is encouraging the people of Zimbabwe and this is greatly commended. On the other hand, our traditional chefs were greatly excited to be accorded the opportunity to prepare traditional dishes at this special event,” she said.

For welcome drinks, guests were given freshly squeezed juices from local fruits including maheu emukoyo, baobab juice, watermelon and masau juices. The main course starches included African rice sadza, traditional rice, sorghum, millet and white sadza, steamed maize, madhumbe, magogoya and mumhare.

They were served with mabumbe, manyanya, road runner chicken, zvinyenze, mazondo, Highfield stew (beef mixed with vegetables), casings, tripe, oxtail, dried munyevhe in peanut butter, dried munyemba, muboora (pumpkin leaves), guru roulade, hodzeko (sour milk), beef knuckles, goat stew, nyemba stew, rupiza, steamed Kariba bream, biltong in peanut butter and rabbit meat.

Nibbles on the tables comprised nyemba bites, kapenta parcels, madora delights, meat ball fingers, mbwire mbwire, mhodzi dzemanhanga and popped mapfunde.

For dessert, guests were spoilt for choice as they enjoyed cucumber and avocado dip, half-moon eats, nyii and mupfarinya cake, umcahaba, pumpkin and zviyo cake and nhopi.

The First Lady also invited the less privileged from around the country to the inauguration dinner.