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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday appointed Africa’s most decorated Olympian, Kirsty Coventry, as the new Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, taking over from Kazembe Kazembe who moved to the Information, Communications and Technology portfolio.

Coventry, who turns 35 on September 16, was appointed hours after the world was still digesting the appointment of another sporting icon Diego Maradona as the head coach of Mexican second division club, Dorados de Sinaloa.

“Today, as promised, I appointed a diverse, dynamic, youthful and streamlined cabinet with the skills and experience required to achieve our goals. Now it is time to get to work,” President Mnangagwa posted on his official Twitter account yesterday.

A holder of seven Olympic medals as well as at the All Africa Games and the Fina World Championships, Coventry was at the time of her appointment, also a member of the Olympic Committee.

The Sports and Recreation Commission, in its congratulatory message, described Coventry’s appointment as a surprise but equally well deserved and promised to work fully with the national and international sporting icon in achieving the country’s goal of becoming a middle level income economy by 2030.

“This is indeed a pleasant surprise but a well deserved appointment to one one of our most distinguished Sportspersons in the name of Kirsty Coventry. This is not only a well deserved appointment but one which augurs well for the agenda of Sport and Recreation in this country especially at this juncture. Ms Kirsty Coventry is not only an accomplished and distinguished sportsperson in her own right, but is also Africa’s most decorated Olympian,” said the Commission’s acting director general Joseph Muchechetere.

“This is indeed a well deserved appointment and it is our hope that she will together with the entire Sport and Recreation sector strike the right chord and move forward the agenda of sport in this country.

As the SRC we could not have asked for more than this and we say thank you to His Excellency President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa. As the National Regulatory body for Sport and Recreation we pledge to co-operate and work tirelessly with the new leadership at the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation to ensure that our Sport performs above expectations and contributes towards making Zimbabwe a middle level income economy by 2030,” he added.

Bulawayo soccer giants Highlanders were the first sporting institution to also offer its congratulations to the newly appointed Minister.

“Congratulations to Kirsty Coventry for her recent appointment as the Minister of Sport. We wish her all the best in her new office,” read a statement from Bosso.