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BULAWAYO provincial administrator Khonzani Ncube was on Saturday appointed chairperson of the Local Organising Committee (Loc) of the Africa Union Region Five Games.
She replaces Charles Dzimba who is based in Gweru.
Ncube will be deputised by renowned administrator Elkanah Dube who is also the principal of Hillside Teachers’ College.
The announcements were made by Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Andrew Langa on Saturday in Bulawayo.
Several other sub committee heads were announced to spearhead the preparations for the Games to be held in December this year.
Langa said the meeting was one of many interactions that would be held in the run up to the competition between his ministry and the organisers.
He gave assurances that the Games would be held in Bulawayo despite delays in refurbishing facilities to be used for the competition that will have athletes from Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Lesotho, Mozambique, Mauritius, the Seychelles, Tanzania, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
In total Zimbabwe is expected to play host to 3,000 athletes, officials and media personnel.
The disciplines that will feature in the bi-annual competition are athletics, basketball, football, judo, netball, tennis, swimming and tennis.
“It will be a fiesta of sport for everyone,” said Langa.
Minister Langa called on everyone involved to work hard.
“For us to be successful we need to work hard during preparations. Government has committed itself from the highest office to the success of the Games. A total of $9 million has been set aside to spruce up the infrastructure that will be used for the Games,” said Langa.
He acknowledged the slow progress in the preparations.
“We admit that the preparations have been slow so there is a need to speed up the process,” said Minister Langa
Thirty eight members of the civil service have been seconded to Loc.
“The Loc has neither met nor planned effectively for the Games. It is in light of that, that I, as Minister responsible for sport in Zimbabwe have seen it fit to restructure it so as to inject new life and strengthen the committee,” said Langa.
He assured the region and AU that Zimbabwe would play host to the most memorable Games.
Also appointed to the organising committee are Anna Mguni of the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee who will be in charge of accreditation, Titus Zvomuyawho will attend to technical issues and Lawrence Mantiziba who heads the medical sub committee.
Sikhanyisiwe Dube will be in charge of volunteers, with Isiah Magagula of the Bulawayo City Council in charge of venues with regional education boss Dan Moyo coming in to run the ceremonies and edutainment portfolio.
Civil servant Herbert Karuma will oversee infrastructure, Stylish Magida of the National University of Science and Technology will take care of accommodation and catering.
David Simba, a soccer commentator and a marketing manager with a leading retail chain in the country and region is in charge of marketing and media.
Legal practitioner Sithandile Ngwenya, Michael Bulagango of the paralympic sport movement and Cosmas Mutakaya are also members of the local board pushing for a successful hosting of the Games.
The principal director in the ministry Paul Damasane, director of sport Eugeniah Chidhakwa, Sport and Recreation Commission director of development Joseph Muchechetere, SRC commissioner Kays Kanyangarara and Loc chief executive officer are ex-officio members.
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