admin
Sikhumbuzo Moyo
TWO of the country’s biggest national sports associations, Zifa and the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (Naaz), have commended the Government for finally heeding calls to have a separate ministry of sports.President Mugabe yesterday announced his cabinet with former deputy Minister of Public Service Andrew Langa becoming the new Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture.
All along sport has been under one portfolio with education, arts and culture and that has been blamed for the country’s poor sporting record.
“That is one of the best decisions ever to be taken. We are so happy about the development and the first thing we will do as Naaz is to lobby the Government through the ministry to have a sport budget that will be managed by the associations,” said Naaz president Tendai Tagara.
He said associations and sport in particular now have a voice.
Zifa chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze said the new development will unlock the value that sport has always had.
“It shows seriousness to develop sport on the part of Government. We have always believed that sport can be a vehicle for social and economic development and following the establishment of a fully fledged sport ministry, we are in the right direction to achieving some of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals,” said Mashingaidze.
The country had entered a new era in the development of sport. One of Minister Langa’s immediate tasks will be to oversee the successful hosting of the 2014 Zone Six Games which will be held in the City of Bulawayo in December.
Online Reporter