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Zimpapers Sports Hub
KARIBA needs more sport to benefit the community and to drive sports tourism.
Shine Gwangwaba, the Member of Parliament for Kariba Constituency, who was in Bulawayo with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sport, said there is need for more sport.
He challenged national associations to bring more sporting codes to Kariba.
Kariba is one of Zimbabwe’s star tourist attractions and houses the country’s biggest hydro-electric plants.
“As you know Kariba is one of the most marginalised areas, am happy we are trying to do a lot, we have big clubs like ZPC Kariba who play in the PSL, that one is not enough,” he said.
He said on the sidelines of the tour of Barbourfields: “As an MP we are on a tour with some of our colleagues touring facilities for pitches rugby and cricket. As Kariba we need to be incorporated into football or other sports dynamics, Kariba is a tourist centre, we need youths to be scouted, we need state of the art facilities,” said the Kariba MP.
He said the few visible sports codes were not enough for the area.
“We have some other sport activities, we have cricket being played here, even marathon, we have schools competitions where some even qualify for regional and inter-district competitions,” said Gwangwaba.
Kariba is the host of several angling competitions that include the annual Zambezi Tiger Championships and one in Msuna near Deka Mouth.
The Zimbabwe Volleyball Association has also held beach volleyball tournaments in the past, and the response has been positive.
Mike Mandaza of the beach soccer has previously said they will take advantage of tourist centres with sands and water bodies to use to prop up the sport and tourism.
“We would like to take beach football to all major centres with water bodies that have beaches or we deliberately create own pitches there,” said Mandaza.
Gwangwaba said on the sidelines of the tour of facilities by Parliamentarians that sport was important to wellness, creating employment and keeping communities in productive activity.
“Sport helps fight social ills, it’s good for youths to be productively engaged through sport, it assists fight drug and substance abuse,” said Gwangwaba.
The Parly Committee was in Bulawayo on Wednesday and Saturday.
During their tour they visited Khumalo Hockey Stadium and Queens Sports Club (Wednesday) and wound up with a tour of Barbourfields Stadium.
The Committee was not impressed by the state of facilities countrywide with chairman Farai Jere challenging communities and local authorities to work together in reviving and safeguarding facilities.
Online Reporter