Online Reporter
Gibson Mhaka, [email protected]
THE successful visit by retired British boxing champion Kell Brook has opened new opportunities for Zimbabwean youths and positioned the country as an emerging destination for international sporting partnerships, Proma Events Africa chairman and National Organisation for Development and Empowerment (Node) national advisor Ambassador Leonard Chidziva has said.
Node is an affiliate of Zanu-PF, which focuses on empowering women, youths and disadvantaged groups in line with the party’s revolutionary ethos.
Speaking after the visit, which ran from May 30 to June 2, Ambassador Chidziva hailed President Mnangagwa’s youth empowerment drive, saying it had created an enabling environment for young people to seek and create opportunities through sport and entrepreneurship.
Brook’s landmark visit, organised by Proma Events Africa in partnership with the Charles Manyuchi Boxing Academy and sanctioned by the Zimbabwe National Boxing and Wrestling Control Board (ZNBWCB), saw the former International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight world champion tour Victoria Falls, Gwanda, Masvingo and Harare while interacting with aspiring boxers and community leaders.
The British boxing star, whose visit was facilitated through connections established by Amb Chidziva and a Zimbabwean based in Canada, visited Zimbabwe for the first time and it was also his maiden trip to Africa.
Amb Chidziva said the initiative was aimed at empowering young people and creating pathways for local athletes to access international opportunities.
“This was Kell Brook’s first visit to Africa and also his first to Zimbabwe.
“I know Kell on a personal level and, as a former IBF world champion who is now retired, I encouraged him to come and experience Africa for himself,” said Amb Chidziva.
“He agreed and said he wanted Zimbabwe to be his first destination because he had heard about one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, Victoria Falls.
“We also took the opportunity to show him Great Zimbabwe because one cannot fully appreciate Zimbabwe without understanding the history behind our nation.”
Amb Chidziva said the visit was part of a broader strategy by Proma Events Africa and Node to expose local talent to international sporting networks.
“The initiative is aimed at empowering young people. As a youth myself, I have had opportunities that many others have not had.
“Through Proma Events Africa, we decided to start bringing retired boxing legends and other international sporting figures to Africa to help promote our local talent and expose them to international opportunities,” he said.
“We are also working closely with Node, where I serve as an advisor. Empowering young people and creating opportunities for them is part of the vision we share.”
Brook, who won 37 of his 40 professional fights and held the IBF welterweight title between 2014 and 2017also paid a courtesy call on Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Albert Nguluvhe, in Gwanda.
He later visited Gwanda High School’s renowned boxing club where he interacted with pupils and aspiring boxers, sharing lessons from a career that saw him rise from humble beginnings to become one of Britain’s most celebrated fighters.
From Gwanda, Brook travelled to Masvingo where he toured the Great Zimbabwe National Monument before proceeding to Harare.
Amb Chidziva said the retired boxer was impressed by the talent and potential he witnessed during the tour. “We believe we have started on the right path by bringing a former world champion like Kell Brook.
“He was impressed by what he saw in Zimbabwe and promised to return and assist young people, particularly those who lack equipment, facilities and proper training opportunities,” he said.
He commended various stakeholders for supporting the visit.
“We would like to thank the Government, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry and the Zimbabwe Republic Police for ensuring he had a memorable stay.
“Most importantly, we thank President Mnangagwa for creating an environment that encourages youths to empower themselves by seeking and creating opportunities.”
Amb Chidziva said the initiative was in line with the country’s drive to unlock opportunities through sport.
“When the President says Zimbabwe is open for business that applies beyond the traditional business sector. Sport is business, agriculture is business and mining is business.
“What we are doing is opening up opportunities through the business of sport for young Zimbabweans and Africans in general,” he said.
He revealed that more international sporting and entertainment personalities were expected to visit Zimbabwe in the coming months.
“This is not a once-off event.
“Empowerment is an ongoing process. As long as there are people willing to come and contribute to youth development, we will continue bringing them.
“We have several former boxing champions lined up, although I cannot reveal their names at this stage. “We are also engaging prominent figures from the music industry, including some of Africa’s biggest names, who are interested in visiting Zimbabwe.”
Amb Chidziva said Proma Events Africa was targeting several sporting disciplines including boxing, football, basketball and American football.
“Our objective is not only to expose our young athletes to international figures but also to create pathways for them to compete and represent Zimbabwe on the global stage,” he said.
In a major development, Mab Chidziva disclosed that discussions were underway for Brook to come out of retirement for a high-profile boxing event in Zimbabwe later this year.
“Following discussions with Kell Brook, he expressed interest in coming out of retirement for what could become one of the biggest boxing events ever hosted in Zimbabwe.
“We are targeting November for the event. Discussions are underway and, once everything is finalised, the details will be announced.
“The vision is to attract major international promoters and boxing stakeholders to Zimbabwe and position the country as a destination for world-class sporting events,” said Amb Chidziva.
He said rural communities would not be left behind in future programmes.
“Rural youths are a key part of our vision. One of the reasons we travelled outside Harare was to ensure that opportunities are not concentrated in urban centres.
“Going forward, we intend to identify talented young athletes in every province and ensure they are included in these programmes.
“For major boxing events, we want young boxers from rural areas to participate, including as undercard fighters and in developmental programmes.”
Node Bulawayo provincial chairman, Mr Eddie Benson Muchenje, welcomed the initiative, saying it demonstrated how sport could be used as a vehicle for youth empowerment and economic development. “We fully support this initiative because it is creating opportunities for young people who ordinarily would not have access to international sporting figures and networks.
“Bringing a global boxing icon such as Kell Brook to Zimbabwe is not only inspiring our youths but also showcasing our country’s sporting potential to the world,” said Mr Muchenje.
“This is exactly the type of empowerment that young people need. It creates exposure, motivation and opportunities.
“We applaud Ambassador Chidziva, Proma Events Africa and the Manyuchi Boxing Academy for making this happen.”
Amb Chidziva said the long-term goal was to transform Zimbabwe into a regional hub for sport, tourism and youth development.
“Our message is simple: Zimbabwe has talent and potential. Through partnerships, exposure and empowerment initiatives, we want to create opportunities that transform the lives of young people and position Zimbabwe as a hub for sport, tourism and youth development in Africa,” he said.
