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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
Sport and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane has extended the term of office of the Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board to December 31 with effect from July 11.
The board will be led by Paul Nenjerama and includes secretary-general Tsitsi Muzuva, members Charles Dzimba and Patrick Mkondiwa from the previous board.
They will be joined by Principal Director in the Ministry of Sport and Recreation Martin Dube and director sport development and promotion Eugenia Chidhakwa, to complete a six-member board.
The board’s term of office expired in January, before it was extended to May.
This is a second extension of their tenure.
Nenjerama made the announcement yesterday at the Ministry of Sport and Recreation offices in Harare, flanked by Dube, Mkondiwa and Muzuva.
“Our term of office expired on the 24th of May 2016 after having been in this board for three years, 2013 to 2016 and we had an extension that lapsed on the 24th of May.
“The Honourable Minister of Sport and Recreation, Honourbale Makhosini Hlongwane has extended our tenure to the end of this year and to be precise 31st of December, 2016.
“On behalf of the new board, we accept to continue with the running of boxing in Zimbabwe,” said Nenjarama.
He said their immediate task is to ensure Charles Manyuchi’s title defence bout set for September 30, is a success.
“We know we do have a very interesting timetable ahead of us, especially with the voluntary fight that our champion, Charles Manyuchi, is going to be having shortly on the 30th of September, 2016 to be precise.
“We thank the Minister for having strengthened the board by bringing in these two technocrats, Dr Dube and Mrs Chidhakwa. And it is our hope that we are going to be able to have the upcoming fight to be a success that it should be.
“The promoters of this fight are going to be none other than Oriental Queries and they have made it abundantly clear to us to say this fight is going to be in honour of the first citizen of Zimbabwe, His Excellency President R.G. Mugabe.
“This is a small gesture by the boxing fraternity to also thank His Excellency. It’s not going to be a cheap affair, it’s going to be quite costly, but the promoters have assured us that they will do all they can,” said Nenjerama.
The fight is set for the Harare International Conference Centre and Nenjerama said they are looking at a budget of more than US$200 000.
“We are looking at a quarter of a million. And obviously it’s not all going to be in cash, there are other services that will be requested and the finer details will come as and when we have spoken to the promoters, but that’s the figure we have been given,” said Nenjerama.
There have been accusations in the past of the board not doing enough to assist the promotion of boxing in the country.
Nenjarama said their duty was to regulate and exercise general supervision over the sport not to promote fights.
Online Reporter