By Staff Reporter
HARARE — More than 10,000 youths from across Harare are expected to gather in Ushewokunze, Harare South, on May 30 for a belated Africa Day sports gala aimed at promoting grassroots talent development and expanding access to sporting opportunities in underprivileged communities.
The event is being organised by ZimSport for Economic Development, a Zanu PF affiliate, as part of efforts to promote sport as both a social and economic empowerment tool for young people in peri-urban areas.
ZimSport chairman Gabriel Togarepi said the initiative seeks to decentralise elite sporting activities and create opportunities for talented youths who often lack access to proper facilities and exposure.
“We are expecting no fewer than 10,000 people to attend.
“There are 80 soccer teams competing from across Harare, with approximately the same number of teams in netball and volleyball,” said Togarepi.
“There will also be basketball competitions, as well as indoor games such as chess, snooker and darts. In short, there is something for everyone,” added Togarepi.
Togarepi said the tournament would offer lucrative prizes to winning teams and athletes as part of efforts to make sport financially rewarding at grassroots level and to nurture talent for national teams.
The gala is expected to be attended by Zanu PF national commissar Munyaradzi Machacha, who will serve as guest of honour.
Other expected guests include Sports Minister Anselem Sanyatwe, Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa, politburo member Omega Hungwe, central committee members and representatives from the business sector.
Last month, ZimSport hosted an Independence Day boxing tournament that was televised nationally.
The winner received a Toyota GD6 twin-cab vehicle sponsored by businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei through Sakunda Holdings.
Tagwirei is also expected to attend the Africa Day gala.
Togarepi said Ushewokunze was deliberately selected because of the area’s limited recreational infrastructure and growing youth population.
“We chose Ushewokunze because it has highly underprivileged communities.
“We are trying to promote sport as a source of employment and will also provide infrastructure that can continuously support these activities,” he said.
The organisers are working in partnership with Shadreck Mashayamombe, who provided a local school as the event venue and is assisting with infrastructure development.
Zimbabwe national team captain Marvelous Nakamba is also supporting the initiative through the donation of sports kits.
“We might not have everything, but we want corporations, party leadership and other stakeholders to identify and support talented athletes so they can eventually represent the country,” Togarepi said.
Mashayamombe said the partnership would leave a lasting legacy through the construction of a multi-disciplinary sports facility in the area.
The facility is expected to cater for basketball, volleyball and tennis — sports that residents in the area previously had limited access to.
“I offered my support in building sports infrastructure that schools and the Harare South community will continue to use for free.
“To me, this is not only a sporting event, but also a way of steering young people away from drug and substance abuse,” said Mashayamombe.
He said the absence of recreational facilities in newly established suburbs had limited sporting opportunities for youths, with soccer remaining the dominant activity in the area.
“The youths have good intentions, but there are no proper sporting facilities in these communities.
“We decided to assist by establishing a multi-disciplinary sports court that schools in the constituency can access free of charge,” he said.
