By Margaret Kamba
The Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Honorable Barbara Rwodzi says Her Excellency, The First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa understood vision 2030 way before anyone could as she envisioned an equal society.
This she said during the Manicaland Province Young Women for Economic Development Dinner and Uhuru Beauty Pageant held in Mutare over the weekend.
The Minister took time to challenge those present to search within their hearts and lifestyle and find a way back to that which makes them Zimbabwean.
"We are here to celebrate the wisdom and knowledge of The First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa. We are also here to talk about that which makes us a people hunhu/ubuntu because umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu. Every day, we are moving towards the victory of our President, His Excellency Cde E.D Mnangagwa's vision 2030, because you and I have a role to play to see this vision attained," Minister Rwodzi said.
"Our President has espoused this vision 2030, and our First Lady, through her wisdom, understood this vision. I believe that she was the first to understand the President's vision because she started implementing various programmes in 2018-2019.
"She calculated that after four or five years, these initiatives all the way to 2030 would realize an equal society. As you have realized the work that she is doing, you can truly see that vision 2030 can be attained if you and I have a shared vision with her and the President.
"When the President spoke about vision 2030, he said it could only be attained if we rely on our heritage. Our heritage is what we have as our own resources, starting with agriculture, mining, and tourism, and you as an individual are your own heritage. The richness of a place comes from you, the people of that place.
"Amai from 2019, introduced the Cook Out competition to exhibit the way we cook our food in our different localities. She taught us also about our cultural values and principles in order to bring back the Zimbabwean child to its rightful place."
She lamented the idea that many have been misled to think that foreign food is better than their own local food and that they have adopted cultures that they do not fit in.
She added that it is crucial for people to reflect on that which makes them who they truly are and be proud of it.
Minister Rwodzi also highlighted that the efforts of Amai have been recognized internationally to the extent that the United Nations has awarded her for her excellence in promoting gastronomy tourism.