By Edson Mapani in Buhera
A youthful entrepreneur, Mr Livingstone Svotwa, 30, is bringing a traditional touch to the hospitality sector in Buhera through the establishment of Traditional Roadside Lodges at Hande Business Centre in Buhera North.
Located approximately 20 kilometres from Murambinda along the Nyazura Road, the lodges are attracting truck drivers and travellers seeking overnight accommodation away from the hustle and bustle of Gaza Growth Point and Murambinda town.
Svotwa said the shortage of accommodation and traditional cuisine around Hande Business Centre, coupled with his desire to invest in his home area, inspired him to establish the lodges.
“Having realised that there was a lack of accommodation and traditional food at Hande Business Centre, it dawned on me that, as a son who was born and bred here, I had to chip in and provide a solution. As they say, the rest is history, and what you see here is what I have done,” said Svotwa.
Driven by a desire to preserve and promote Zimbabwean culture, Svotwa said he opted for traditional thatched huts complemented by modern amenities, including quality furniture and Wi-Fi connectivity.
He added that the establishment serves a variety of traditional dishes, including game meat and sadza made from small grains such as zviyo, mhunga and mapfunde, alongside seafood.
“I have realised that the majority of us youths no longer have sufficient knowledge of our traditions and culture. This pushed me to settle for thatched-hut lodges and traditional food such as a variety of game meat, sadza rezviyo, mhunga and mapfunde. We also offer seafood,” he said.
Svotwa said his business was also intended to contribute to local development and support the country’s Vision 2030 agenda, which seeks to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy.
He expressed support for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s development policies and the philosophy of “Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo” (A nation is built by its own people), saying young people had a responsibility to contribute to the development of their communities.
“Vision 2030 is only attainable if people stay healthy, which is why we are biased towards traditional cuisine here. As a youth, I am saying brick upon brick, we have started building our fatherland, Buhera,” he said.
Meanwhile, Svotwa revealed that his business was preparing to expand into recreational tourism, with four cruise boats expected to be delivered for use at Marovanyati Dam.
He said the boats would provide recreational activities for visitors while creating opportunities to showcase the dam and promote tourism in the district.
“At Marovanyati Dam, we want people to see the dam that was brought to our district courtesy of the Second Republic, ably led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. We are waiting to take delivery of four cruise boats for recreational purposes. The Second Republic is not stopping in terms of developing our country, and neither are we,” he said.
The planned introduction of boat cruises would add a recreational tourism component to Svotwa’s hospitality venture, which seeks to combine traditional accommodation and cuisine with modern amenities while contributing to economic activity in Buhera.