adminSports Reporter
IT will be a hive of activity in Manicaland on Saturday when the annual Herbert Chitepo Sports Gala bursts into life at St David’s Bonda High School Mission.
The competition has over the years emerged as a platform for young athletes to showcase their talents whle vying for selection to the Manicaland squad for the annual National Youth Games.
The community sports competition also have a historical attachment to it as they are held in memory of the late national hero Herbert Chitepo and his commitment to freedom of this country.
It is now in its third year having started in 2013 with the previous two editions also receiving support from such institutions like Kozani Resources, a local agriculture company which worked in collaboration with the Herbert Chitepo Trust and several organisations and individuals.
The other supporting institutions were St David’s Bonda High School, Bonda Mission Hospital, Nyanga Water Company, Delma Printers, Africa Youth Innovation Centre Trust, local sports and culture clubs, technical staff and some volunteer sports tournament enthusiasts.
In this year’s competitions members of the communities of the Nyanga and Mutasa districts are expected to converge at the school on Saturday and on National Unity Day for the finals.
The communities are also understood to be excited to have a local activity which identifies with the ideals and achievements of the late national hero from their area.
The tournament thus seeks to remind the youth and community members to uphold the values of unity and peace.
Organisers of the competition use the tournaments to promote education, peace, health and unity within the commun- ities.
Youth in Manicaland and mainly from Mutasa and Nyanga are mobilised to form clubs and teams in different sporting disciplines which in turn work with their respective sports associations.
The tournament collaborates with various volunteers and organisations through programmes on different social issues such as girl child empowerment, leadership and life skills, child abuse, gender-based violence and health and environment management.
Online Reporter