KWEKWE INMATES from across the Midlands Province had a rare opportunity to showcase their culinary skills and engage in a cultural exchange during a traditional cookout competition held at Kwekwe Prison last Friday.
The cookout competition was oversubscribed as people jostled to witness the event which has gained traction across the country.
The competition saw 12 male and eight female inmates showcasing their culinary skills, to encourage the adoption of healthy and affordable traditional foods in prisons.
“This is a good platform for us to learn and exchange notes. We are grateful to the Mother of the Nation for giving us this learning platform,” a prisoner said.
“We will apply this knowledge when we leave this place because we now know how they can help us. We know about traditional foods that our forefathers used to eat and we are now taking this knowledge and applying it in our lives,” another added.
Government says taking Amai Mnangagwa’s cooking competition to prisons is a positive step towards rehabilitating inmates and preparing them for reintegration into society.
“The competition shows how Amai is committed to making sure that inmates are remembered and integrated into society.
This demonstrates the mantra of leaving no one and no place behind. We believe that after this competition, inmates will gain culinary skills that will help them in their lives after
incarceration,” Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Honourable Owen Ncube said.
“This will help them to prepare for a better life. You have given them a chance to showcase their prowess in cooking using traditionally available resources and appreciate the health benefits of these foods.
Everyone should take today’s lesson and know that good health comes from good food,” the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Honourable Babra Rwodzi noted.
The First Lady, through her Angel of Hope Foundation, introduced the competition to ensure Zimbabweans across the country embraced traditional dishes and learnt how best to prepare them.
Knowledge Chirenje of Kwekwe prison won the competition while Rose Saiti and White Tahungane came second and third respectively.
