Online Reporter
Innocent Kurira, Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (BUZ), has officially blown the whistle on a bold new era of development, launching a national referees training programme that aims to professionalise the sport from the ground up.
Speaking after the conclusion of a four-day International Basketball Federation (Fiba) Level One referees course held in Bulawayo this week, BUZ president Joe Mujuru, declared the training as the opening act in a series of transformative initiatives to uplift basketball in Zimbabwe.
“When the year started, we committed to conducting several development courses, and this is one of them,” said Mujuru.
“Referee development is a key focus on our calendar. We last hosted this course two years ago in Harare and this time we chose Bulawayo. We’re excited by the number of young referees in Bulawayo. Quality officiating will enhance the quality of play in the country. Our ultimate goal at BUZ is to develop a national team that will compete internationally.”
Held from Monday to Thursday, the course attracted aspiring referees from across the country, underlining its national significance and the union’s renewed commitment to capacity-building at grassroots level.
Mujuru emphasised that developing referees is central to the broader vision of improving the game itself.
“We cannot develop the game without developing referees, which is why we have referees from all over the country gathered here for this clinic,” he said.
Facilitating the course was Tanzanian Fiba instructor Zulfikar Karim, who praised the enthusiasm and potential of the participants.
“This course is crucial for ensuring the country produces internationally certified officials,” said Karim. “The past four days have been great. We had young participants who were eager to learn, which is fantastic. These young referees are the ones we aim to develop for Fiba licensing.”
Karim revealed that the Level One course is just the beginning.
“After this Level One clinic, we’ll host zonal clinics for these young referees before they move on to obtain Fiba licences,” he said.
The initiative is part of BUZ’s wider effort to modernise and professionalise basketball officiating, a move that could open global pathways for local referees and elevate the standard of competition at home.
With more developmental programmes on the horizon, BUZ is positioning itself not just as a custodian of the sport, but as an engine of reform — building a foundation where both players and officials can thrive on a bigger stage.
— @innocentskizoe
