adminHARARE province has declared itself ready to host the 8th edition of the Zimbabwe National Paralympic Games.
The games will run from Wednesday to Saturday and the Local Organising Committee’s chief executive, Nathaniel Madzivanyika, is confident of a successful edition.
Speaking after a LOC meeting held in the capital “to tie up all the loose ends”, Madzivanyika said they were encouraged by the donation of 3 000kgs of rice by the Zimbabwe-Chinese Business Association.
“The donation that we got from the Zimbabwe-Chinese Business Association was a morale booster to us and we are confident that other potential sponsors or donors who may still be sitting on the fence will also come on board for these important Games which are aimed at promoting sport for people living with disabilities.
“So far three provinces have made their part payments to the Local Organising Committee and these are; Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and Mashonaland West. We are therefore encouraging the others to make good with us so that we are able to deliver quality service during the course of the Games”, said Madzivanyika.
Participation fees for the Games are pegged at $50 per athlete.
Madzivanyika added that the participating provinces are expected to arrive in Harare on Tuesday for their classification and accreditation.
“The Games’ start is going to be punctuated with celebrations to mark the International Day for Sport for Development and Peace which will see the participants marching from Town House in the morning to Prince Edward School where they will be addressed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture Dr Thokozile Chitepo.
“The celebrations will run under the international theme, ‘United Action towards Sustainable Development through Sport’ while the local theme will be an ‘An Inclusive, Active and Health Zimbabwe through sport’,” he said.
Prince Edward School will be the Command Centre for the Games, while Queen Elizabeth, Girls High and Allan Wilson schools will also host netball for the deaf, wheelchair tennis, wheelchair basketball, football for the intellectually challenged and the deaf.
The National Sports Stadium B Arena will host athletics for the visually impaired and the amputees.
The Games were introduced in 2008 as a national strategy meant to promote sport among people living with disabilities and have so far been hosted in seven provinces on a rotational basis.
Matabeleland South will host the 2016 edition.
Online Reporter