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Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
MATABELELAND North’s hosting of the rebranded National Youth Games hangs in the balance as the organisers are struggling to raise the required funds.

No budget has been drawn up yet and organisers revealed at a meeting in Lupane yesterday that they were failing to attract corporate support yet the games are three months away.

The Government recently rebranded the annual games to feature about 21 disciplines up from eight and Matabeleland North wanted to spread the games across their seven districts, which requires a larger budget.

The provincial National Youth Games general manager Jabulani Mpofu said local organising committees need to engage stakeholders to find ways of raising funds.

“We only have three months to raise funds and do everything needed and if we don’t have the money, I’m afraid we will not be able to host these games,” said Mpofu.

Permanent Secretary in the Sport and Recreation Ministry Godfrey Chipare acknowledged at the meeting that the process of raising funds was facing challenges.

“There are various challenges that need attention, but Government commits itself to the hosting of the games. The biggest challenge is time management. We have three months left and there is a question of finances. We are all aware of the economic challenges and going by what we experienced in December during the YES (Youth Education through Sports) Games, hosting the National Youth Games is going to be a big challenge,” he said.

Kusile Rural District Council chief executive officer Christopher Tshuma called for decentralisation of the fund raising programmes as a strategy to expedite the pooling of resources for the games.

“If we are planning to have them in all districts, let’s decentralise the fundraising programmes,” said Tshuma.

The National Youth Games, whose objective is to develop sport and identify individuals to represent the country at regional and international sporting events, are expected to attract more than 11 000 athletes and officials.

Matabeleland North played host to the YES Games in December 2016 in preparation for the Youth Games.

@ncubeleon