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Minister Raymond Kazembe

Grace Chingoma, Harare Bureau
MINISTER of Sport, Arts and Recreation Raymond Kazembe has urged the national associations to respect their constitutions and agree to be held accountable by their constituencies so that the business side of the game is realised.

In a speech read on his behalf by the ministry’s permanent secretary, Prince Mupazviriyo, while addressing the national sports associations during a governance and compliance conference at Prince Edward yesterday, Kazembe said things should always be done by the book.

“Let me reiterate that the usual mantra that sport is a big business is only true if we are organised,’’ he said.

“The culture of squabbles must be a thing of the past. Unaccountable executives have no space in the new set-up hence we are insisting on doing things by the book.

“We cannot be attractive to potential investors if we are content with going for years without producing audited financial statements.

“How do we assure the public and our stakeholders that their funds were utilised for the purposes that they were intended for?

“How do we operate on the basis of a word of the chairman or the secretary-general being the law of the association? We need to ensure that we respect our constitutions and where there are disputes, let us strive by all means necessary to resolve the differences peacefully without tarnishing the image of the sport.

“It is none but ourselves who can change the narrative of the sport.”

In line with the ministry’s 100-day priority projects, associations were expected to be compliant with the Sports Commission framework which requires that each organisation should be registered as well as adhere to the parastatals’s framework.

“Attention has been placed on competence, independence, transparency and accountability by delivering agents of sport and recreation, particularly national sport associations.

“It is my sincere hope that this gathering will commissariat the expected configurations and standing of sport governing bodies.

“All elected executives of provincial and national sport associations will be required to write an aptitude test within three months of coming into office and the Sports Commission will administer the process.

“All national sport associations, which comply within this 100-day period, will be given registration certificates.

“All national sport associations will be given an operator’s licence upon complying with the SRC Act and all the other statutory requirements.

“Other sport and recreation organisations like country or sports clubs will also be regulated in the same manner as no sport or recreation organisation shall operate in the country unregistered or unlicensed by the SRC.

“The above measures are not meant to punish national associations and other sport and recreation delivery agents, but they are meant to ensure that we improve on the delivery of sport and recreation services in the country in a manner that satisfies all our clients,” said Kazembe.

A number of associations were well represented at the conference and they included karate, taekwondo, wushu, rugby and football.