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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
AS the nation comes together today to celebrate Unity Day, it is important to take note of how sport can be a unifier for people from different walks of life.
Sport has been described as a unifier over the years, and in most cases it has proved to be true. It can help nations heal and bring rivals together.
The recent strategic retreat workshop for Dynamos and Highlanders that was facilitated by Sakunda Holdings is a good example of sport as a unifying factor.
The two football clubs’ board members and executive committees met under the same roof in Victoria Falls to plan about their future.
It was refreshing to see the waning football giants being brought together by their sponsor, Sakunda Holdings, to lay foundations for their revival, to reclaim their status as the top clubs in the local game.
The two clubs have had their fair challenges and of late they have not been as dominant as they used to be with the likes of FC Platinum and Ngezi Platinum taking over the limelight.
Dynamos and Highlanders are long-time rivals, always out to prove a point to each other and playing for the bragging rights in the country.
Their matches always draw interest among football supporters in the country and hopefully as they take this journey to transform themselves, they turn their fortunes on the football pitch and bring back the positive energy on and off the football pitch.
On several occasions, the two clubs featured in the ZIFA Unity Cup that used to be staged as part of the Unity Day Celebrations. Football fans had something to look forward to on this day.
Such games were important in bringing people together and commemorating this important day in the history of Zimbabwe.
Other major highlights on this day were the Mighty Warriors hosting their regional counterparts such as South Africa, Lesotho and Botswana for the Unity Day Challenge Cup from between 2010 and 2013.
Unfortunately, circumstances have changed for the senior women’s side that continue to face challenges and it seems the women’s game in the country is taking steps back instead of moving forward.
It would be interesting to see such events as the ZIFA Unity Cup and the Unity Day Challenge for the women’s team back as part of the celebrations in the future.
Apart from football, other sport codes can also come up with their own competitions to commemorate the day and pass on the culture to the next generation.
Online Reporter