The Government licenced 57 companies to cultivate herbal
cannabis in 2018 and so far only KKOG has emerged the front runner with the
planting of 1000 ha of mbanje and construction of a state-of-the- art
laboratory and plant. The rest are yet to do anything.
Ministry of Industry and Commerce Permanent Secretary Dr
Mavis Sibanda in her report at the ground-breaking ceremony in Mukuvisi
Industrial Park, which lies between Msasa and Msasa Park, said the plant will
provide a great opportunity for young scientists and researchers to learn and
develop new medicines specifically from Zimbabwe.
The initiative would enable Zimbabwe to become a leader in
the medical tourism industry in Africa, gaining a stake in the US$56 billion
global industry in the process.
“The next step on our Zimbabwe development road map will be
the implementation of our first medicinal Green Zone in Victoria Falls, tourism
as we know brings US$500 million per year into the national economy,” said Dr
Sibanda.
She also added that with the addition of the KKOG Green
Zone Partnership with Zimbabwe, will transition the young generation’s lives.
KKOG chief executive officer Mr Rene Joseph said the firm’s
clients like the fact that their products will be created in Africa and it
creates a lot of unique synergies with different people and will be a great
benefit to Zimbabweans.
Mr Joseph said after completing one facility, they are
planning to bring in doctors, researchers and scientists so that they can
develop new products.
“KKOG believes that Africa has the ability to control the
cannabis industry as a whole and with the right groups and partnerships, it
will have a large portion of the market share if not all,” he said.
The company expects to complete facilities, sign
partnerships with universities to help students work in factories, the
laboratories and study company chemicals, and learn about cannabis extraction.
Cannabis has been found useful in treating the effects of cancer, HIV and Covid
19 and research continues.
The company said it is currently licensed with 300 hectares
in addition to 2,5ha of greenhouses in Zimbabwe.
KKOG also has a regional presence in many African countries
like Rwanda, Malawi, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, and
soon in Sri Lanka. KKOG has the only cannabis extraction facility in DRC. Herald
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