AUSC Region 5 Museum launched

Ellina Mhlanga, Zimpapers Sports Hub

FOREIGN Affairs and International Trade Minister, Amon Murwira, has described the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Museum launched yesterday at the National Sports Stadium as a symbol of unity within the region.

The idea of establishing the regional sports museum is to ensure the preservation of the region’s sporting heritage that will help to reflect past successes and the trajectory going forward.

The regional sports museum will be housed within the vicinity of the National Sports Stadium.

Murwira was the guest of honour at the launch that also saw the groundbreaking ceremony taking place in the presence of the AUSC Region 5 Council of Ministers chairperson Agnes Tjongarero.

“Our region, diverse in cultures and backgrounds, has always been united by our love to be together and also through sports. The sport Museum stands as a symbol of this unity, reflecting the values that bind us together and the dreams that drive us forward. It is a space where the vibrant history of the AUSC Region 5 Games and the broader sporting landscape of our region will be showcased, providing an inspiring narrative of progress and potential.

“Lest we forget, as we unveil this museum, we honour the athletes who brought glory to our region, the coaches who have nurtured talent and the communities that have supported and celebrated their heroes.

“Their stories are engraved into the very fabric of this institution and it is our duty to ensure that this legacy continues to inspire future generations,” said Murwira.

He expressed gratitude to President Mnangagwa for the generous offer to house the museum in Zimbabwe.

“The museum will serve as a dynamic educational resource, offering visitors an opportunity to engage with interactive exhibitions, educational programmes and cultural events. It is envisaged to be a hub of learning, a centre for research, and a gathering place for dialogue and collaboration.

“We envision this place as a platform from where young people can dream big. Dreams are very important if they are put into action, where they can see the possibilities that lie ahead, and where they can draw strength from the achievements of those who came before them,” said Murwira. Tjongarero, who is also Namibia Minister of Youth, Sport and National Service thanked President Mnangagwa and the government for offering to host the sport museum.

“I am immeasurably elated to know that we have a place to immortalise our rich sporting heritage and that Zimbabwe has led from the front in demonstrating strong tenets of regional patriotism and solidarity,” Tjongarero said.

“Our history defines our identity. This regional sport museum therefore provides a repository of our sporting identity.

“It will serve as a place where we collect, organise and display as well as protect our sporting tangible and intangible heritage, while projecting a sense of regional patriotism.

“It will be a monument meant to add to Zimbabwe’s already majestic heritage sites and will contribute towards enhancing Zimbabwe’s image as a tourism destination of choice. As Region 5 Council of Ministers we wish to extend our profound gratitude to the President of Zimbabwe, who is also the SADC chairman, who is living true to his mantra of leaving no one or no place behind.

“He has extended his visionary leadership to the SADC region as demonstrated by this great milestone to which Region 5 is grateful,” said Tjongarero.

Work towards the start of construction is underway and the museum is expected to be done by 2026.

Acting Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Kazembe Kazembe, in his speech, read by Deputy Minister Emily Jesaya said the Government is pleased to be working with the AUSC Region 5.

“The Government is pleased to be working with the Region 5 on the establishment of this museum a place where our sporting past, present, and future converge with innovation celebrating the triumph of regional sport.

“As we unveil this museum, I urge all the member states to remain resolute towards the improvement of grassroots sport and an excelling podium performance. We envision a space that fosters a love for sports in young hearts and minds, nurturing their talents and aspirations,” said Kazembe.

Also in attendance were Permanent Secretaries (from the ministries responsible for sport) from some of the 10-member countries including Zimbabwe’s Nicholas Moyo, AUSC Region 5 chairperson of Committee of Experts Jo-Ann Manuel and chief executive officer Stanley Mutoya, sports directors, Sports and Recreation Commission chairperson Gerald Mlotshwa, representatives from the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation, national sport associations and other sport institutions.