adminMwaruwari’s Magwegwe Secondary School will compete with seven Under-16 boys teams which are Rising Stars, FMH, Emakhandeni Pirates, Highlanders, Bantu Rovers, Chicken Inn and Ajax Hotspurs.
These clubs are affiliated to the Bulawayo Province Junior Soccer League.
The former national team skipper is on record as saying he has always wanted to do something for Bulawayo but pressing commitments would not permit him to give something back to the community.
A fortnight ago he launched the Benjani Mwaruwari Junior Soccer Festival at Magwegwe Secondary School.
This was in due recognition of the role his former school and the Old Magwegwe community played in moulding him to the person he is today.
The winners of the tournament will on 26 May travel to Harare to watch the Benjani Mwaruwari testimonial match which will be graced by world stars.
In an interview yesterday, Faith Dube, who is part of the festival’s organising committee said everything was set for Saturday’s competition.
“Everything is in place for the first edition of the Benjani Mwaruwari Junior Soccer Festival which will be an annual event. We have notified Zifa about the tournament and all Bulawayo Province Junior League matches that have been scheduled for this weekend have been suspended.
“It will be a packed programme with the semi-finals and final set for Sunday.
“We are appealing to the sport loving people of Bulawayo to come in their numbers and support these future youngsters battling it out at this competition.
“Mwaruwari and other former players he played with will be at White City for the tournament,” Dube said.
He said the teams have been drawn into two groups with the top two progressing to the semi-finals set for Sunday morning before the final later.
The winners of the Benjani Mwaruwari Junior Soccer Festival will get a trophy, medals and will be joined by seven tournament outstanding players for the trip to Harare where they will get a chance to watch international stars at Mwaruwari’s testimonial game.
Teams
Group A: Rising Stars, FMH, Emakhandeni Pirates, Highlanders
Group B: Bantu Rovers, Magwegwe Secondary School, Ajax Hotspurs, Chicken Inn.
Online Reporter