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Minister Kazembe

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
GOVERNMENT has called for the commercialisation of the Zimbabwe National Youth and Paralympics Games so that they become self-sustainable instead of relying on grants from Government.

In a speech read on his behalf at the official opening of the final Games Assembly at a Gweru hotel yesterday, Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister Kazembe Kazembe said organisers must do a self-introspection and map ways in which the annual games make a social impact and contribute significantly on the economic front.

“As the organisation of the games takes shape, I am happy to inform you that our national patron, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has already spelt out his vision for the nation, which is to see the country being a middle income economy by 2030. It is therefore incumbent upon us to align our sport and recreation programmes towards attaining his vision. We must organise games which are commercially viable and self sustaining. This implies that the current approach of relying on the Government grant has to be a thing of the past. We must commercialise these games and even make a surplus out of them,” said Kazembe.

He said sport and recreation must make its modest contribution to the realisation of the President’s vision.

Kazembe also challenged organisers to project sport and recreation on a higher level by being good managers, highlighting that this year’s games were already within the horizon and hence the need to work around the clock to ensure they are not only a resounding success but memorable as well.

“As you may be aware, we have so many programmes that are ongoing but they need to be synchronised into coherent programmes that will see our nation being a jewel of the African continent with respect to sport and recreation,” said Kazembe.

The assembly brought together provincial general managers from the country’s 10 provinces, sport competition directors from 19 sport codes, the local organising committee, provincial Sport and Recreation Development Committee, Sports and Recreation Commission as well as officials from the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation.

The games will run from August 15-21 for the Under-13s and Under-18s, while the Under-23s and open will compete from August 22-29.

These games will be used to assemble a squad for the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games set for December in Gaborone, Botswana.