Glow Petroleum opens US$1,5m facility in Vic Falls

GLOW Petroleum has opened a US$1,5 million state-of-art fuel service station in Victoria Falls and has committed to ensuring quality supplies and enhancing the tourism business growth.

The garage is a partnership between Glow and Makomwe Transport and Hardware, and is part of a US$3 million project, which will result in establishment of a one-stop shopping complex on the same premises.

It is located on the buffer zone between Mkhosana and Chinotimba suburbs as one enters Victoria Falls along the Bulawayo Highway.

It is Glow Petroleum's 42nd garage in Zimbabwe, third in Matabeleland North and sixth in Matabeleland region, as the fuel dealer makes a footprint in every corner of the country.

The garage was officially opened yesterday at a ceremony attended by various stakeholders with Chief Mvuthu leading in cutting of the ribbon. The chief said Victoria Falls has significantly grown as evidenced by new developments and businesses.

Glow Petroleum proprietor Mr Aaron Chinhara promised continuous fuel supply in Victoria Falls saying the company does not only sell the product but also sells service through its motto "We go further."

"We decided to join hands with those in the southern region and give each other energy. This particular project has phases and this is the first phase worth US$1,5 million and part of a bigger project worth US$3 million where we want to create a one-stop modern mall facility for the people of Mkhosana and Chinotimba," he said.

"We always want to make sure that when we build the next garage it is better than our last and we always try to do better and improve to make our communities and country beautiful by creating beautiful things.

"If in any day Victoria Falls had no fuel, that time is over. We are in business and as Glow we will make sure there is fuel supply each and every day."

The new business has created 25 jobs for Victoria Falls locals. The partnership is a "build and manage type of project and we will be working with him for life because we are franchising", said Mr Chinhara while explaining his partnership with Mr Ozias Marange, proprietor of MTH.

He said plans were underway to open six more garages in the country next year, two of them in Bulawayo with plans for another one in Lupane.

"Glow petroleum is 100 percent indigenous company based in Harare and we have divided the country into six regions. We have done numerous projects and today we have opened branch number 42 as part of our expansion policy," said Mr Chinhara.

"We have not come to destroy businesses here but to complement and challenge them because competition is healthy," he said.

As part of the company's corporate social responsibility, the garage owners pledged 2 000 litres of fuel to the Victoria Falls City Council's refuse truck so it offers undisturbed refuse collection for residents.

Mr Marange who is also into trucking and hardware business, said the new garage will operate 24 hours, something that has been lacking in Victoria Falls despite the city being a tourism destination.

He said he got the piece of land in 2014 and partnered with Mr Chinhara after which construction of the garage started in February 2019.

"We are going to operate 24 hours so that every business operates without challenges of fuel. We have come up with this despite the challenges and it will definitely help the local industry as there will be no shortage of fuel. This is an asset for the community not for us, we are there to serve the community," said Mr Marange.

Victoria Falls Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube said the opening of the garage was testimony that the local authority is open for business.

"Victoria Falls is a tourism destination that thrives on offering quality services and I believe this project will live to that quality promise," he said.

"This service station is the first investment in the fuel industry commissioned after Victoria Falls became a city a year ago."