Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau
ZIMBABWE’S tourism industry continues to flourish, with gastronomy tourism emerging as a powerful driver of growth, thanks in large part to the efforts of First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa.
This culinary revolution reached another milestone over the weekend with the official opening of the KGK Service Station Gastronomy Highway Hub just outside Kwekwe. Situated about 20 kilometres along the Harare-Bulawayo Highway, the roadside restaurant offers a refreshing departure from fast food, serving exclusively traditional Zimbabwean dishes.
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi, who officiated at the commissioning ceremony, said the new facility is set to further strengthen Zimbabwe’s profile as a culinary destination of choice.
She said last year, tourism emerged as Zimbabwe’s leading economic sector, contributing 15 percent to the national GDP, surpassing both mining and agriculture.
“A shining example of this growth is the official opening of the KGK Service Station Gastronomy Highway Hub in Kwekwe today. This flagship project, driven by the national vision of the Patron of Tourism, the First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, reflects her continental leadership in Gastronomy Tourism, which has earned her global recognition from UN Tourism and Unesco among others,” said Minister Rwodzi.
The minister noted that the hub is more than a restaurant, but a cultural and economic catalyst that connects tourism with agriculture, education and community development.
“Strategically located along the Harare–Bulawayo highway and about 20km to Kwekwe City, going to Harare, the hub plays a key role in advancing economic inclusion through a strong tourism-agriculture value chain,” she said.
“It also contributes to the elimination of poverty by creating opportunities across the gastronomy supply chain, benefiting women, rural communities and youths.”
Minister Rwodzi said since KGK Service Station serves as a centre for school-based cultural learning and a platform for initiatives like Agric4She, it will open new doors for youth entrepreneurship and community empowerment.
Minister Rwodzi commended the First Lady’s visionary leadership, describing the KGK Hub as a transformative milestone for inclusive, grassroots-led tourism that celebrates Zimbabwean identity and fuels sustainable development.
She said the introduction of gastronomy tourism is set to propel the tourism sector, which is now angling to attain a US$12 billion economy by 2030.
“This is a huge milestone in this country. This is a unique restaurant, which is right on the roadside. People can come here and relax with their families. We are saying every dollar spent in the tourism sector counts,” said Minister Rwodzi.
“The future of this sector is indeed bright. We have made strides since 2018, and we are breaking records.”
Addressing the same gathering, Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Owen Ncube said the new development will improve the provincial GDP.
“We are indeed grateful to have been chosen as the destination of choice in setting up this unique restaurant in our backyard. We are the centre and indeed the heartbeat of the nation,” he said.
“We celebrate excellence, and it is through visionary leadership that respects tradition and goes back to basics that serving the nation going forward is critical.”
The director of operations for Gastro Highway Hub, Mrs Margaret Mhaka, said they wanted to bring Gastronomy to the people passing through Kwekwe so that they feel or taste what Zimbabwe has to offer in terms of traditional food.
“We are coming on board to complement the efforts by our First Lady, Dr Mnangagwa, who has been pushing for the uptake of gastronomy tourism. We are saying people can come and relax and remember their culture by getting some traditional food,” she said.
Mrs Mhaka said they also offer culinary skills to those wishing to pursue hotel and tourism classes.
