Vusumuzi Dube
Lovemore Dube
KARIBA needs more sport to benefit the community and 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 a need for more sporting activities in an area where football, limited cricket and inter-school competitions are the most active.
He urged national sporting associations to bring additional sports codes to Kariba. Kariba is one of Zimbabwe’s key tourist destinations and is home to the country’s largest hydroelectric power plants.
“As you know, Kariba is one of the most marginalised areas. I’m happy, we are trying to do a lot, with big clubs like ZPC Kariba playing in the PS, but that alone is not enough,” he said.
Speaking on the sidelines of a tour of Barbourfields, Gwangwaba added: “As an MP, we are on a tour with some of our colleagues, visiting facilities for rugby and cricket pitches. Kariba needs to be incorporated into football or other sports dynamics. Kariba is a tourist hub, and we need to scout youths and develop state-of-the-art facilities,” said the Kariba MP.
He mentioned that the few visible sports codes were insufficient for the area.
“We have some other sporting activities, such as cricket and even marathons. We also have school competitions, where some students even qualify for regional and inter-district events,” said Gwangwaba.
Kariba is also the venue for several angling competitions, including the annual Zambezi Tiger Championships and another held in Msuna near Deka Mouth. The Zimbabwe Volleyball Association has previously hosted beach volleyball tournaments, and the response has been positive.
Mike Mandaza, from the beach soccer community, has previously stated that they aim to take advantage of tourist centres with sand and water bodies to promote both sport and tourism.
“We would like to take beach football to all major centres with water bodies that have beaches, or deliberately create our own pitches there,” said Mandaza.
Gwangwaba emphasised, on the sidelines of the parliamentary tour, that sport is essential for wellness, creating employment and keeping communities engaged in productive activities.
“Sport helps fight social ills. It’s important for youths to be productively engaged through sport, as it assists in fighting drug and substance abuse,” said Gwangwaba.
The Parliamentary Committee was in Bulawayo on Wednesday and Saturday. During their tour, they visited Khumalo Hockey Stadium and Queens Sports Club on Wednesday and concluded with a tour of Barbourfields Stadium.
The Committee expressed dissatisfaction with the state of facilities nationwide, with chairman Farai Jere urging communities and local authorities to work together to revitalise and safeguard these facilities.
Online Reporter